Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
20
PSALMS: 20,
50, 80, 110, 140
PROVERBS: 20
OLD TESTAMENT: 1 CHRONICLES 9:1 - 10:14
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 22:21 - 44
PSALMS: 20
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may
the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and
grant you support from Zion.
3
May he remember all your sacrifices
and
accept your burnt offerings.
Selah
4
May he give you the desire of your heart
and
make all your plans succeed.
5
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and
will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May
the LORD grant all your requests.
6
Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he
answers him from his holy heaven
with
the saving power of his right hand.
7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but
we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
8
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but
we rise up and stand firm.
9
O LORD, save the king!
Answer
A us when we call! [1]
PSALMS: 50
A
psalm of Asaph.
1
The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
speaks
and summons the earth
from
the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God
shines forth.
3
Our God comes and will not be silent;
a
fire devours before him,
and
around him a tempest rages.
4
He summons the heavens above,
and
the earth, that he may judge his people:
5
"Gather to me my
consecrated ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
6
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for
God himself is judge.
Selah
7
"Hear, O my people,
and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.
8 I do not
rebuke you for your sacrifices
or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9 I have no
need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10 for every
animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know
every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.
12 If I were
hungry I would not tell you, [2]
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Do I eat
the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Sacrifice
thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call
upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
16
But to the wicked, God says:
"What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 You hate
my instruction
and cast my words behind you.
18 When you
see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You use
your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You speak
continually against your brother
and slander your own mother's son.
21 These
things you have done and I kept silent;
you thought I was altogether A like you.
But I will rebuke you
and accuse you to your face.
22
"Consider this, you
who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:
23 He who
sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him B the salvation of God." [3]
PSALMS: 80
For
the director of music. To the tune of "The Lilies of the Covenant."
Of Asaph. A psalm.
1
Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel,
you
who lead Joseph like a flock;
you
who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
2
before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken
your might;
come
and save us.
3
Restore us, O God;
make
your face shine upon us,
that
we may be saved.
4
O LORD God Almighty,
how
long will your anger smolder
against
the prayers of your people?
5
You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you
have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
6
You have made us a source of contention to our
neighbors,
and
our enemies mock us.
7
Restore us, O God Almighty;
make
your face shine upon us,
that
we may be saved.
8
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you
drove out the nations and planted it.
9
You cleared the ground for it,
and
it took root and filled the land.
10
The mountains were covered with its shade,
the
mighty cedars with its branches. [4]
11
It sent out its boughs to the Sea, A
its
shoots as far as the River. B
12
Why have you broken down its walls
so
that all who pass by pick its grapes?
13
Boars from the forest ravage it
and
the creatures of the field feed on it.
14
Return to us, O God Almighty!
Look
down from heaven and see!
Watch
over this vine,
15
the root your right hand has planted,
the
son C you have raised up for yourself.
16
Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;
at
your rebuke your people perish.
17
Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
the
son of man you have raised up for yourself.
18
Then we will not turn away from you;
revive
us, and we will call on your name.
19
Restore us, O LORD God Almighty;
make
your face shine upon us,
that
we may be saved. [5]
PSALMS: 110
Of
David. A psalm.
1
The LORD says to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."
2
The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion;
you
will rule in the midst of your enemies.
3
Your troops will be willing
on
your day of battle.
Arrayed
in holy majesty,
from
the womb of the dawn
you
will receive the dew of your youth. A
4
The LORD has sworn
and
will not change his mind:
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."
5
The Lord is at your right hand;
he
will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
6
He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead
and
crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
7
He will drink from a brook beside the way B;
therefore
he will lift up his head. [6]
PSALMS: 140
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men;
protect
me from men of violence,
2
who devise evil plans in their hearts
and
stir up war every day.
3
They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's;
the
poison of vipers is on their lips.
Selah
4
Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
protect
me from men of violence
who
plan to trip my feet.
5
Proud men have hidden a snare for me;
they
have spread out the cords of their net
and
have set traps for me along my path.
Selah
6
O LORD, I say to you, "You are my God."
Hear,
O LORD, my cry for mercy.
7
O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
who
shields my head in the day of battle--
8
do not grant the wicked their desires, O LORD;
do
not let their plans succeed,
or
they will become proud.
Selah
9
Let the heads of those who surround me
be
covered with the trouble their lips have caused.
10Let
burning coals fall upon them;
may
they be thrown into the fire,
into
miry pits, never to rise. [7]
11
Let slanderers not be established in the land;
may
disaster hunt down men of violence.
12
I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor
and
upholds the cause of the needy.
13
Surely the righteous will praise your name
and
the upright will live before you. [8]
PROVERBS: 20
20
1 Wine is a mocker and
beer a brawler;
whoever
is led astray by them is not wise.
2
A king's wrath is like the roar of a lion;
he
who angers him forfeits his life.
3
It is to a man's honor to avoid strife,
but
every fool is quick to quarrel.
4
A sluggard does not plow in season;
so
at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
5
The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters,
but
a man of understanding draws them out.
6
Many a man claims to have unfailing love,
but
a faithful man who can find?
7
The righteous man leads a blameless life;
blessed
are his children after him.
8
When a king sits on his throne to judge,
he
winnows out all evil with his eyes.
9
Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure;
I
am clean and without sin"?
10
Differing weights and differing measures--
the
LORD detests them both.
11
Even a child is known by his actions,
by
whether his conduct is pure and right. [9]
12
Ears that hear and eyes that see--
the
LORD has made them both.
13
Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay
awake and you will have food to spare.
14
"It's no good, it's no good!" says the
buyer;
then
off he goes and boasts about his purchase.
15
Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but
lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16
Take the garment of one who puts up security for a
stranger;
hold
it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.
17
Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man,
but
he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.
18
Make plans by seeking advice;
if
you wage war, obtain guidance.
19
A gossip betrays a confidence;
so
avoid a man who talks too much.
20
If a man curses his father or mother,
his
lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
21
An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning
will
not be blessed at the end.
22
Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this
wrong!"
Wait
for the LORD, and he will deliver you. [10]
23
The LORD detests differing weights,
and
dishonest scales do not please him.
24
A man's steps are directed by the LORD.
How
then can anyone understand his own way?
25
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly
and
only later to consider his vows.
26
A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he
drives the threshing wheel over them.
27
The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man A;
it
searches out his inmost being.
28
Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
through
love his throne is made secure.
29
The glory of young men is their strength,
gray
hair the splendor of the old.
30
Blows and wounds cleanse away evil,
and
beatings purge the inmost being. [11]
OLD TESTAMENT: 1 CHRONICLES 9:1 - 10:14
9 1
All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in
the book of the kings of Israel.
The people of Judah were
taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.
2 Now
the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some
Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
3 Those
from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem
were:
4 Uthai
son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant
of Perez son of Judah.
5 Of
the Shilonites:
Asaiah the firstborn and
his sons.
6 Of
the Zerahites:
Jeuel.
The people from Judah
numbered 690.
7 Of
the Benjamites:
Sallu son of Meshullam,
the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;
8 Ibneiah
son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Micri; and Meshullam son of
Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.
9 The
people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men
were heads of their families.
10 Of
the priests:
Jedaiah; Jehoiarib;
Jakin;
11 Azariah
son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth,
the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;
12 Adaiah
son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of
Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the
son of Immer.
13 The
priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men,
responsible for ministering in the house of God.
14 Of
the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub,
the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;
15 Bakbakkar,
Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph; 16
Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and
Berekiah son of Asa, the son of [12]
Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17 The
gatekeepers:
Shallum, Akkub, Talmon,
Ahiman and their brothers, Shallum their chief 18 being stationed at
the King's Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers
belonging to the camp of the Levites. 19 Shallum son of Kore, the
son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family
(the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the Tent A
just as their fathers had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the
dwelling of the LORD. 20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar
was in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him. 21 Zechariah
son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
22 Altogether,
those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were
registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to
their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. 23 They and
their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the
LORD--the house called the Tent.
24 The
gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. 25 Their
brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties
for seven-day periods. 26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who
were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and
treasuries in the house of God. 27 They would spend the night
stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had
charge of the key for opening it each morning.
28 Some
of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted
them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. 29 Others
were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the
sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. 30
But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. 31 A
Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was
entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. 32 Some
of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the
bread set out on the table.
33 Those
who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple
and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work
day and night.
34 All
these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and
they lived in Jerusalem.
35 Jeiel
the father B of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His wife's name was
Maacah, 36 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish,
Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth
was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
39 Ner
was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of
Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. C [13]
40 The
son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal, D
who was the father of Micah.
41 The
sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tahrea
and Ahaz. E
42 Ahaz
was the father of Jadah, Jadah F was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth
and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. 43 Moza was the father
of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.
44 Azel
had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru,
Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
10 1
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the
Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The
Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons
Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting grew fierce around
Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.
4 Saul
said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these
uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me."
But his armor-bearer was
terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5
When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword
and died. 6 So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died
together.
7 When
all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and
his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines
came and occupied them.
8 The
next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his
sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped him and took his head
and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to
proclaim the news among their idols and their people. 10 They put
his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of
Dagon. [14]
11 When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard of everything the
Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men went and took
the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried
their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
13 Saul
died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the
LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
14 and
did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the
kingdom over to David son of Jesse. [15]
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 22:21 - 44
21 After
the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said:
"Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you
would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge
you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship
will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and
whom I serve stood beside me
24 and
said, `Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial
before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with
you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in
God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must
run aground on some island."
27 On
the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic B
Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28
They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty
feet C deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found
it was ninety feet D deep. 29 Fearing that we would be
dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed
for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors
let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some
anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the
soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."
32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it
fall away.
33 Just
before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days,"
he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without
food--you haven't eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some
food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his
head." 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave
thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They
were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether
there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as
they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
39 When
daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy
beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting
loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the
ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and
made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran
aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to
pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42 The
soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming
away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life
and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to
jump overboard first and get to land.
44 The
rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone
reached land in safety. [16]
[1]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[2]
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[3]
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[4]
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[5]
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[6]
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[7]
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[8]
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[9]
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[10] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[11] Excerpted from Compton's
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[12] Excerpted from Compton's
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[13] Excerpted from Compton's
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[14] Excerpted from Compton's
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[15] Excerpted from Compton's
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[16] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H
