Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
25
PSALMS:
25, 55, 85, 115, 145
PROVERBS:
25
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 19:1 - 21:30
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 2:25 - 3:8
PSALMS:
25
Of
David.
1
To
A
you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2
in
you I trust, O my God.
Do
not let me be put to shame,
nor
let my enemies triumph over me.
3
No
one whose hope is in you
will
ever be put to shame,
but
they will be put to shame
who
are treacherous without excuse.
4
Show
me your ways, O LORD,
teach
me your paths;
5
guide
me in your truth and teach me,
for
you are God my Savior,
and
my hope is in you all day long.
6
Remember,
O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for
they are from of old.
7
Remember
not the sins of my youth
and
my rebellious ways;
according
to your love remember me,
for
you are good, O LORD.
8
Good
and upright is the LORD;
therefore
he instructs sinners in his ways.
9
He
guides the humble in what is right
and
teaches them his way.
10
All
the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for
those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11
For
the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive
my iniquity, though it is great.
12
Who,
then, is the man that fears the LORD? 1
He
will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13
He
will spend his days in prosperity,
and
his descendants will inherit the land.
14
The
LORD confides in those who fear him;
he
makes his covenant known to them.
15
My
eyes are ever on the LORD,
for
only he will release my feet from the snare.
16
Turn
to me and be gracious to me,
for
I am lonely and afflicted.
17
The
troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free
me from my anguish.
18
Look
upon my affliction and my distress
and
take away all my sins.
19
See
how my enemies have increased
and
how fiercely they hate me!
20
Guard
my life and rescue me;
let
me not be put to shame,
for
I take refuge in you.
21
May
integrity and uprightness protect me,
because
my hope is in you.
22
Redeem
Israel, O God,
from
all their troubles! 2
PSALMS:
55
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil
A
of David.
1
Listen
to my prayer, O God,
do
not ignore my plea;
2
hear
me and answer me.
My
thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3
at
the voice of the enemy,
at
the stares of the wicked;
for
they bring down suffering upon me
and
revile me in their anger.
4
My
heart is in anguish within me;
the
terrors of death assail me.
5
Fear
and trembling have beset me;
horror
has overwhelmed me.
6
I
said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I
would fly away and be at rest--
7
I
would flee far away
and
stay in the desert;
Selah
8
I
would hurry to my place of shelter,
far
from the tempest and storm."
9
Confuse
the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech,
for
I see violence and strife in the city.
10
Day
and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice
and abuse are within it.
11
Destructive
forces are at work in the city;
threats
and lies never leave its streets. 3
12
If
an enemy were insulting me,
I
could endure it;
if
a foe were raising himself against me,
I
could hide from him.
13
But
it is you, a man like myself,
my
companion, my close friend,
14
with
whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as
we walked with the throng at the house of God.
15
Let
death take my enemies by surprise;
let
them go down alive to the grave, B
for
evil finds lodging among them.
16
But
I call to God,
and
the LORD saves me.
17
Evening,
morning and noon
I
cry out in distress,
and
he hears my voice.
18
He
ransoms me unharmed
from
the battle waged against me,
even
though many oppose me.
19
God,
who is enthroned forever,
will
hear them and afflict them--
Selah
men
who never change their ways
and
have no fear of God.
20
My
companion attacks his friends;
he
violates his covenant.
21
His
speech is smooth as butter,
yet
war is in his heart;
his
words are more soothing than oil, 4
yet
they are drawn swords.
22
Cast
your cares on the LORD
and
he will sustain you;
he
will never let the righteous fall.
23
But
you, O God, will bring down the wicked
into
the pit of corruption;
bloodthirsty
and deceitful men
will
not live out half their days.
But
as for me, I trust in you. 5
PSALMS:
85
For
the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1
You
showed favor to your land, O LORD;
you
restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2
You
forgave the iniquity of your people
and
covered all their sins.
Selah
3
You
set aside all your wrath
and
turned from your fierce anger.
4
Restore
us again, O God our Savior,
and
put away your displeasure toward us.
5
Will
you be angry with us forever?
Will
you prolong your anger through all generations?
6
Will
you not revive us again,
that
your people may rejoice in you?
7
Show
us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and
grant us your salvation.
8
I
will listen to what God the LORD will say;
he
promises peace to his people, his saints--
but
let them not return to folly.
9
Surely
his salvation is near those who fear him,
that
his glory may dwell in our land.
10
Love
and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness
and peace kiss each other.
11
Faithfulness
springs forth from the earth,
and
righteousness looks down from heaven.
12
The
LORD will indeed give what is good,
and
our land will yield its harvest.
13
Righteousness
goes before him 6
and
prepares the way for his steps. 7
PSALMS:
115
1
Not
to us, O LORD, not to us
but
to your name be the glory,
because
of your love and faithfulness.
2
Why
do the nations say,
"Where
is their God?"
3
Our
God is in heaven;
he
does whatever pleases him.
4
But
their idols are silver and gold,
made
by the hands of men.
5
They
have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes,
but they cannot see;
6
they
have ears, but cannot hear,
noses,
but they cannot smell;
7
they
have hands, but cannot feel,
feet,
but they cannot walk;
nor
can they utter a sound with their throats.
8
Those
who make them will be like them,
and
so will all who trust in them.
9
O
house of Israel, trust in the LORD--
he
is their help and shield.
10
O
house of Aaron, trust in the LORD--
he
is their help and shield.
11
You
who fear him, trust in the LORD--
he
is their help and shield.
12
The
LORD remembers us and will bless us:
He
will bless the house of Israel,
he
will bless the house of Aaron,
13
he
will bless those who fear the LORD--
small
and great alike. 8
14
May
the LORD make you increase,
both
you and your children.
15
May
you be blessed by the LORD,
the
Maker of heaven and earth.
16
The
highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but
the earth he has given to man.
17
It
is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those
who go down to silence;
18
it
is we who extol the LORD,
both
now and forevermore.
PSALMS:
145
A
psalm of praise. Of David.
1
I
A
will exalt you, my God the King;
I
will praise your name for ever and ever.
2
Every
day I will praise you
and
extol your name for ever and ever.
3
Great
is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his
greatness no one can fathom.
4
One
generation will commend your works to another;
they
will tell of your mighty acts.
5
They
will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and
I will meditate on your wonderful works. B
6
They
will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and
I will proclaim your great deeds.
7
They
will celebrate your abundant goodness
and
joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8
The
LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow
to anger and rich in love.
9
The
LORD is good to all;
he
has compassion on all he has made.
10
All
you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your
saints will extol you.
11
They
will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and
speak of your might,
12
so
that all men may know of your mighty acts
and
the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13
Your
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and
your dominion endures through all generations. 10
The
LORD is faithful to all his promises
and
loving toward all he has made. C
14
The
LORD upholds all those who fall
and
lifts up all who are bowed down.
15
The
eyes of all look to you,
and
you give them their food at the proper time.
16
You
open your hand
and
satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17
The
LORD is righteous in all his ways
and
loving toward all he has made.
18
The
LORD is near to all who call on him,
to
all who call on him in truth.
19
He
fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he
hears their cry and saves them.
20
The
LORD watches over all who love him,
but
all the wicked he will destroy.
21
My
mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let
every creature praise his holy name
for
ever and ever. 11
PROVERBS:
25
25
1
These
are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of
Judah:
2
It
is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to
search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3
As
the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so
the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4
Remove
the dross from the silver,
and
out comes material for A
the silversmith;
5
remove
the wicked from the king's presence,
and
his throne will be established through righteousness.
6
Do
not exalt yourself in the king's presence,
and
do not claim a place among great men;
7
it
is better for him to say to you, "Come up here,"
than
for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
What
you have seen with your eyes
8
do not bring B
hastily to court,
for
what will you do in the end
if
your neighbor puts you to shame?
9
If
you argue your case with a neighbor,
do
not betray another man's confidence,
10
or
he who hears it may shame you
and
you will never lose your bad reputation.
11
A
word aptly spoken
is
like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12
Like
an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is
a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear. 12
13
Like
the coolness of snow at harvest time
is
a trustworthy messenger to those who send him;
he
refreshes the spirit of his masters.
14
Like
clouds and wind without rain
is
a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
15
Through
patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and
a gentle tongue can break a bone.
16
If
you find honey, eat just enough--
too
much of it, and you will vomit.
17
Seldom
set foot in your neighbor's house--
too
much of you, and he will hate you.
18
Like
a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is
the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19
Like
a bad tooth or a lame foot
is
reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.
20
Like
one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or
like vinegar poured on soda,
is
one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21
If
your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if
he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22
In
doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and
the LORD will reward you.
23
As
a north wind brings rain,
so
a sly tongue brings angry looks. 13
24
Better
to live on a corner of the roof
than
share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25
Like
cold water to a weary soul
is
good news from a distant land.
26
Like
a muddied spring or a polluted well
is
a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
27
It
is not good to eat too much honey,
nor
is it honorable to seek one's own honor.
28
Like
a city whose walls are broken down
is
a man who lacks self-control. 14
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 19:1 - 21:30
19
1
In
the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son
succeeded him as king. 2
David
thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because
his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to
express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.
When
David's men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express
sympathy to him, 3
the
Ammonite nobles said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring
your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Haven't his
men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?"
4
So
Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the
middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.
5
When
someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet
them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at
Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."
6
When
the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David's
nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents A
of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, B
Aram Maacah and Zobah. 7
They
hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the
king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba,
while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for
battle.
8
On
hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting
men. 9
The
Ammonites came out and drew up in battle 15
formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come
were by themselves in the open country.
10
Joab
saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so
he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them
against the Arameans. 11
He
put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and
they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12
Joab
said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to
rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will
rescue you.
13
Be
strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our
God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight."
14
Then
Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they
fled before him. 15
When
the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled
before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went
back to Jerusalem.
16
After
the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent
messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the River, C
with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them.
17
When
David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the
Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite
them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they
fought against him. 18
But
they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their
charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed
Shophach the commander of their army. 16
19
When
the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel,
they made peace with David and became subject to him.
So
the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.
20
1
In
the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the
armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to
Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab
attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. 2
David
took the crown from the head of their kingA--its
weight was found to be a talent B
of gold, and it was set with precious stones--and it was placed on
David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city 3
and
brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with
saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite
towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
4
In
the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At
that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the
descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.
5
In
another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi
the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like
a weaver's rod.
6
In
still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man
with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot--twenty-four
in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 7
When
17
he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, killed
him.
8
These
were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of
David and his men.
21
1
Satan
rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
2 So
David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and
count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so
that I may know how many there are."
3
But
Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times
over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does
my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"
4
The
king's word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went
throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. 5
Joab
reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there
were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword,
including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
6
But
Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the
king's command was repulsive to him. 7
This
command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
8
Then
David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I
beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very
foolish thing." 18
9
The
LORD said to Gad, David's seer, 10
"Go
and tell David, `This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three
options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.'"
11
So
Gad went to David and said to him, "This
is what the LORD says: `Take your choice:
12
three
years of famine, three months of being swept away A
before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days
of the sword of the LORD--days of plague in the land, with the angel
of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.` Now then, decide how I
should answer the one who sent me."
13
David
said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands
of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into
the hands of men."
14
So
the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel
fell dead.
15
And
God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing
so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said
to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough!
Withdraw your hand."
The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of
Araunah B
the Jebusite.
16
David
looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and
earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then
David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
17
David
said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be
counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but
sheep. What have they done? O LORD my God, let your hand 19
fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your
people."
18
Then
the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an
altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19
So
David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the
name of the LORD.
20
While
Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four
sons who were with him hid themselves. 21
Then
David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the
threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the
ground.
22
David
said to him, "Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I
can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be
stopped. Sell it to me at the full price."
23
Araunah
said to David, "Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever
pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the
threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering.
I will give all this."
24
But
King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full
price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a
burnt offering that costs me nothing."
25
So
David paid Araunah six hundred shekels C
of gold for the site. 26
David
built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and
fellowship offerings. D
He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from
heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 20
27
Then
the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its
sheath. 28
At
that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the
threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.
29
The
tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the desert, and the
altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at
Gibeon. 30
But
David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid
of the sword of the angel of the LORD. 21
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 2:25 - 3:8
25
Circumcision
has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have
become as though you had not been circumcised. 26
If
those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they
not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27
The
one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will
condemn you who, even though you have the C
written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28
A
man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision
merely outward and physical. 29
No,
a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is
circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.
Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.
3
1
What
advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in
circumcision?
2
Much
in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very
words of God.
3
What
if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's
faithfulness? 4 Not
at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:
"So
that you may be proved right when you speak
and
prevail when you judge."
A
5
But
if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly,
what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I
am using a human argument.)
6
Certainly
not! If that were 22
so, how could God judge the world? 7
Someone
might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so
increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" 8
Why
not say--as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some
claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"?
Their condemnation is deserved. 23
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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Interactive Bible NIV.
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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
19
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
20
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
21
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
22
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
23
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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