Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
17
PSALMS:
17, 47, 77, 107, 137
PROVERBS:
16
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 4:5 - 5:17
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 25:1 - 27
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 CHRONICLES 4:5 - 5:17
5
Ashhur
the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
6
Naarah
bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the
descendants of Naarah.
7
The
sons of Helah:
Zereth,
Zohar, Ethnan, 8
and
Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of
Aharhel son of Harum.
9
Jabez
was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,
C
saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." 10
Jabez
cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and
enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm
so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
11
Kelub,
Shuhah's brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of
Eshton.
12
Eshton
was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir
Nahash. D
These were the men of Recah.
13
The
sons of Kenaz:
Othniel
and Seraiah.
The
sons of Othniel:
Hathath
and Meonothai. E
14
Meonothai
was the father of Ophrah.
Seraiah
was the father of Joab,
the
father of Ge Harashim. F
It was called this because its people were craftsmen.
15
The
sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh:
Iru,
Elah and Naam.
The
son of Elah:
Kenaz.
16
The
sons of Jehallelel:
Ziph,
Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel.
17
The
sons of Ezrah:
Jether,
Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered's wives gave birth to Miriam,
Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18
(His
Judean wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father
of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the children
of 13
Pharaoh's
daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married.
19
The
sons of Hodiah's wife, the sister of Naham:
the
father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20
The
sons of Shimon:
Amnon,
Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon.
The
descendants of Ishi:
Zoheth
and Ben-Zoheth.
21
The
sons of Shelah son of Judah:
Er
the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of
the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22
Jokim,
the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and
Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) 23
They
were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there
and worked for the king.
24
The
descendants of Simeon:
Nemuel,
Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul;
25
Shallum
was Shaul's son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.
26
The
descendants of Mishma:
Hammuel
his son, Zaccur his son and Shimei his son.
27
Shimei
had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have
many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the
people of Judah.
28
They
lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29Bilhah,
Ezem, Tolad, 30
Bethuel,
Hormah, Ziklag, 31
Beth
Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their
towns until the reign of David. 32
Their
surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan--five
towns—33
and
all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.G
These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.
34
Meshobab,
Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35
Joel,
Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36
also
Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37
and
Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of
Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. 14
38
The
men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families
increased greatly, 39
and
they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in
search of pasture for their flocks. 40
They
found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and
quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.
41
The
men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of
Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the
Meunites who were there and completely destroyedH
them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place,
because there was pasture for their flocks. 42
And
five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah
and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.
43
They
killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived
there to this day.
5
1
The
sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but
when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn
were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be
listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,
2
and
though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from
him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)—3
the
sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel:
Hanoch,
Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
4
The
descendants of Joel:
Shemaiah
his son, Gog his son,
Shimei
his son, 5
Micah
his son,
Reaiah
his son, Baal his son,
6
and
Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser A
king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the
Reubenites.
7
Their
relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records:
Jeiel
the chief, Zechariah, 8
and
Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in
the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9
To
the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that
extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased
in Gilead.
10
During
Saul's reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated
at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites
throughout the entire region east of Gilead 15
11
The
Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah:
12
Joel
was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.
13
Their
relatives, by families, were:
Michael,
Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber--seven in all.
14
These
were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of
Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo,
the son of Buz.
15
Ahi
son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.
16
The
Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on
all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.
17
All
these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of
Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel. 16
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 25:1 - 27
25
1
Three
days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to
Jerusalem,
2
where
the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and
presented the charges against Paul. 3
They
urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul
transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill
him along the way. 4
Festus
answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going
there soon. 5
Let
some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man
there, if he has done anything wrong."
6
After
spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and
the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought
before him. 7
When
Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around
him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not
prove.
8
Then
Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the
law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."
9
Festus,
wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing
to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these
charges?"
10
Paul
answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I
ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you
yourself know very well. 11
If,
however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not
refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews
are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal
to Caesar!"
12
After
Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have
appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"
13
A
few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay
their respects to Festus. 14
Since
they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with
the king. He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a
prisoner. 15
When
I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought
charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16
"I
told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before
he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend
himself against their charges. 17
When
they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the
court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18
When
his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the
crimes I had expected. 19
Instead,
they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and
about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20
I
was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would
be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.
21
When
Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I
ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."
22
Then
Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself."
He
replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him." 17
23
The
next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the
audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of
the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24
Festus
said: "King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see
this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in
Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live
any longer. 25
I
found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his
appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. 26
But
I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore
I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King
Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have
something to write. 27
For
I think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying
the charges against him." 18
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
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
17
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
18
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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