Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
FEBRUARY
17
PSALMS:
17, 47, 77, 107, 137
PROVERBS:
17
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 SAMUEL 5:1 - 7:17
NEW
TESTAMENT:
JOHN 6:1 - 21
PSALMS:
17
A
prayer of David.
1
Hear,
O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen
to my cry.
Give
ear to my prayer--
it
does not rise from deceitful lips.
2
May
my vindication come from you;
may
your eyes see what is right.
3
Though
you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though
you test me, you will find nothing;
I
have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4
As
for the deeds of men--
by
the word of your lips
I
have kept myself
from
the ways of the violent.
5
My
steps have held to your paths;
my
feet have not slipped.
6
I
call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give
ear to me and hear my prayer.
7
Show
the wonder of your great love,
you
who save by your right hand
those
who take refuge in you from their foes.
8
Keep
me as the apple of your eye;
hide
me in the shadow of your wings
9
from
the wicked who assail me,
from
my mortal enemies who surround me. 1
10
They
close up their callous hearts,
and
their mouths speak with arrogance.
11
They
have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with
eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12
They
are like a lion hungry for prey,
like
a great lion crouching in cover.
13
Rise
up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue
me from the wicked by your sword.
14
O
LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from
men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You
still the hunger of those you cherish;
their
sons have plenty,
and
they store up wealth for their children.
15
And
I--in righteousness I will see your face;
when
I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing
your
likeness. 2
PSALMS:
47
For
the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1
Clap
your hands, all you nations;
shout
to God with cries of joy.
2
How
awesome is the LORD Most High,
the
great King over all the earth!
3
He
subdued nations under us,
peoples
under our feet.
4
He
chose our inheritance for us,
the
pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah
5
God
has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the
LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6
Sing
praises to God, sing praises;
sing
praises to our King, sing praises.
7
For
God is the King of all the earth;
sing
to him a psalm A
of praise.
8
God
reigns over the nations;
God
is seated on his holy throne.
9
The
nobles of the nations assemble
as
the people of the God of Abraham,
for
the kings B
of the earth belong to God;
he
is greatly exalted. 3
PSALMS:
77
For
the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1
I
cried out to God for help;
I
cried out to God to hear me.
2
When
I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at
night I stretched out untiring hands
and
my soul refused to be comforted.
3
I
remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
I
mused, and my spirit grew faint.
Selah
4
You
kept my eyes from closing;
I
was too troubled to speak.
5
I
thought about the former days,
the
years of long ago;
6
I
remembered my songs in the night.
My
heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7
"Will
the Lord reject forever?
Will
he never show his favor again?
8
Has
his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has
his promise failed for all time?
9
Has
God forgotten to be merciful?
Has
he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah
4
10
Then
I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the
years of the right hand of the Most High."
11
I
will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12
I
will meditate on all your works
and
consider all your mighty deeds.
13
Your
ways, O God, are holy.
What
god is so great as our God?
14
You
are the God who performs miracles;
you
display your power among the peoples.
15
With
your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the
descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
16
The
waters saw you, O God,
the
waters saw you and writhed;
the
very depths were convulsed.
17
The
clouds poured down water,
the
skies resounded with thunder;
your
arrows flashed back and forth.
18
Your
thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your
lightning lit up the world;
the
earth trembled and quaked.
19
Your
path led through the sea,
your
way through the mighty waters,
though
your footprints were not seen.
20
You
led your people like a flock
by
the hand of Moses and Aaron. 5
PSALMS:
107
1
Give
thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his
love endures forever.
2
Let
the redeemed of the LORD say this--
those
he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3
those
he gathered from the lands,
from
east and west, from north and south. A
4
Some
wandered in desert wastelands,
finding
no way to a city where they could settle.
5
They
were hungry and thirsty,
and
their lives ebbed away.
6
Then
they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he delivered them from their distress.
7
He
led them by a straight way
to
a city where they could settle.
8
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men,
9
for
he satisfies the thirsty
and
fills the hungry with good things.
10
Some
sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners
suffering in iron chains,
11
for
they had rebelled against the words of God
and
despised the counsel of the Most High.
12
So
he subjected them to bitter labor;
they
stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13
Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he saved them from their distress.
14
He
brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and
broke away their chains.
15
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men,
16
for
he breaks down gates of bronze
and
cuts through bars of iron. 6
17
Some
became fools through their rebellious ways
and
suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18
They
loathed all food
and
drew near the gates of death.
19
Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he saved them from their distress.
20
He
sent forth his word and healed them;
he
rescued them from the grave.
21
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men.
22
Let
them sacrifice thank offerings
and
tell of his works with songs of joy.
23
Others
went out on the sea in ships;
they
were merchants on the mighty waters.
24
They
saw the works of the LORD,
his
wonderful deeds in the deep.
25
For
he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that
lifted high the waves.
26
They
mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in
their peril their courage melted away.
27
They
reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they
were at their wits' end.
28
Then
they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he brought them out of their distress.
29
He
stilled the storm to a whisper;
the
waves of the sea were hushed.
30
They
were glad when it grew calm,
and
he guided them to their desired haven.
31
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men.
32
Let
them exalt him in the assembly of the people 7
and
praise him in the council of the elders.
33
He
turned rivers into a desert,
flowing
springs into thirsty ground,
34
and
fruitful land into a salt waste,
because
of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35
He
turned the desert into pools of water
and
the parched ground into flowing springs;
36
there
he brought the hungry to live,
and
they founded a city where they could settle.
37
They
sowed fields and planted vineyards
that
yielded a fruitful harvest;
38
he
blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and
he did not let their herds diminish.
39
Then
their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by
oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40
he
who pours contempt on nobles
made
them wander in a trackless waste.
41
But
he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and
increased their families like flocks.
42
The
upright see and rejoice,
but
all the wicked shut their mouths.
43
Whoever
is wise, let him heed these things
and
consider the great love of the LORD. 8
PSALMS:
137
1
By
the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when
we remembered Zion.
2
There
on the poplars
we
hung our harps,
3
for
there our captors asked us for songs,
our
tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they
said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4
How
can we sing the songs of the LORD
while
in a foreign land?
5
If
I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may
my right hand forget its skill.
6
May
my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if
I do not remember you,
if
I do not consider Jerusalem
my
highest joy.
7
Remember,
O LORD, what the Edomites did
on
the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear
it down," they cried,
"tear
it down to its foundations!"
8
O
Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy
is he who repays you
for
what you have done to us--
9
he
who seizes your infants
and
dashes them against the rocks. 9
PROVERBS:
17
17
1
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than
a house full of feasting, A
with strife.
2
A
wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son,
and
will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3
The
crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but
the LORD tests the heart.
4
A
wicked man listens to evil lips;
a
liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.
5
He
who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever
gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6
Children's
children are a crown to the aged,
and
parents are the pride of their children.
7
Arrogant
B
lips are unsuited to a fool--
how
much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8
A
bribe is a charm to the one who gives it;
wherever
he turns, he succeeds.
9
He
who covers over an offense promotes love,
but
whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10
A
rebuke impresses a man of discernment
more
than a hundred lashes a fool.
11
An
evil man is bent only on rebellion;
a
merciless official will be sent against him. 10
12
Better
to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than
a fool in his folly.
13
If
a man pays back evil for good,
evil
will never leave his house.
14
Starting
a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so
drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15
Acquitting
the guilty and condemning the innocent--
the
LORD detests them both.
16
Of
what use is money in the hand of a fool,
since
he has no desire to get wisdom?
17
A
friend loves at all times,
and
a brother is born for adversity.
18
A
man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge
and
puts up security for his neighbor.
19
He
who loves a quarrel loves sin;
he
who builds a high gate invites destruction.
20
A
man of perverse heart does not prosper;
he
whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21
To
have a fool for a son brings grief;
there
is no joy for the father of a fool. 11
22
A
cheerful heart is good medicine,
but
a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23
A
wicked man accepts a bribe in secret
to
pervert the course of justice.
24
A
discerning man keeps wisdom in view,
but
a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25
A
foolish son brings grief to his father
and
bitterness to the one who bore him.
26
It
is not good to punish an innocent man,
or
to flog officials for their integrity.
27
A
man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and
a man of understanding is even-tempered.
28
Even
a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and
discerning if he holds his tongue. 12
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 SAMUEL 5:1 - 7:17
5
1
After
the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from
Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2
Then
they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon.
3
When
the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen
on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon
and put him back in his place.
4
But
the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his
face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had
been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body
remained. 5
That
is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who
enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6
The
LORD's hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he
brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors. A
7
When
the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of
the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is
heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god." 8
So
they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked
them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?"
They
answered, "Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath."
So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
9
But
after they had moved it, the LORD's hand was against that city,
throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city,
both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. B
10
So
they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
As
the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out,
"They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to
kill us and our people." 11
So
they called together all the rulers 13of
the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel
away; let it go back to its own place, or it C
will kill us and our people." For death had filled the city with
panic; God's hand was very heavy upon it. 12
Those
who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the
city went up to heaven.
6
1
When
the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months, 2
the
Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, "What
shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it
back to its place."
3
They
answered, "If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not
send it away empty, but by all means send a guilt offering to him.
Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been
lifted from you."
4
The
Philistines asked, "What guilt offering should we send to him?"
They
replied, "Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the
number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck
both you and your rulers. 5
Make
models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country,
and pay honor to Israel's god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you
and your gods and your land. 6
Why
do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he A
treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites 14
out so they could go on their way?
7
"Now
then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have
never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves
away and pen them up. 8
Take
the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it
put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering.
Send it on its way, 9
but
keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth
Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if
it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck
us and that it happened to us by chance."
10
So
they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart
and penned up their calves. 11
They
placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest
containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors.
12
Then
the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road
and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the
left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the
border of Beth Shemesh.
13
Now
the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley,
and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.
14
The
cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it
stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the
cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15
The
Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest
containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On
that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made
sacrifices to the LORD. 16
The
five rulers of 15
the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to
Ekron.
17
These
are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the
LORD--one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. 18
And
the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine
towns belonging to the five rulers--the fortified towns with their
country villages. The large rock, on which B
they set the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day in the field
of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19
But
God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy C
of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD.
The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them,
20
and
the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of
the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?"
21
Then
they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The
Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it
up to your place."
7
1
So
the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They
took it to Abinadab's house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his
son to guard the ark of the LORD.
2
It
was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at
Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after
the LORD. 3
And
Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If 16
you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid
yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit
yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you
out of the hand of the Philistines." 4
So
the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the
LORD only.
5
Then
Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede
with the LORD for you." 6
When
they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out
before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed,
"We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel was leader A
of Israel at Mizpah.
7
When
the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers
of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites
heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8
They
said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for
us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines." 9
Then
Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt
offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf,
and the LORD answered him.
10
While
Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near
to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud
thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that
they were routed before the Israelites. 11
The
men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines,
slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.
12
Then
Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and 17
Shen. He named it Ebenezer, B
saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." 13
So
the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory
again.
Throughout
Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.
14
The
towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from
Israel were restored to her, and Israel delivered the neighboring
territory from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace
between Israel and the Amorites.
15
Samuel
continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life. 16
From
year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah,
judging Israel in all those places.
17
But
he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also
judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD. 18
NEW
TESTAMENT:
JOHN 6:1 - 21
6
1
Some
time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee
(that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2
and
a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous
signs he had performed on the sick. 3
Then
Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4
The
Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5
When
Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to
Philip, "Where
shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"
6
He
asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was
going to do.
7
Philip
answered him, "Eight months' wages A
would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
8
Another
of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9
"Here
is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how
far will they go among so many?"
10
Jesus
said, "Have
the people sit down."
There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about
five thousand of them. 11
Jesus
then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were
seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12
When
they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather
the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."
13
So
they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the
five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14
After
the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say,
"Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the 19
world." 15
Jesus,
knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force,
withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
16
When
evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17
where
they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By
now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18
A
strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19
When
they had rowed three or three and a half miles, B
they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they
were terrified. 20
But
he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21
Then
they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat
reached the shore where they were heading. 20
1
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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
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia 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
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