Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
7
PSALMS:
7, 37, 67, 97, 127
PROVERBS:
7
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 KINGS 10:32 - 12:31
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 18:1 - 22
PSALMS:
7
A
shiggaion
A
of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.
1
O
LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save
and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2
or
they will tear me like a lion
and
rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
3
O
LORD my God, if I have done this
and
there is guilt on my hands--
4
if
I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or
without cause have robbed my foe--
5
then
let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let
him trample my life to the ground
and
make me sleep in the dust.
Selah
6
Arise,
O LORD, in your anger;
rise
up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake,
my God; decree justice.
7
Let
the assembled peoples gather around you.
Rule
over them from on high;
8
let
the LORD judge the peoples.
Judge
me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
according
to my integrity, O Most High.
9
O
righteous God,
who
searches minds and hearts,
bring
to an end the violence of the wicked
and
make the righteous secure. 1
10
My
shield B
is God Most High,
who
saves the upright in heart.
11
God
is a righteous judge,
a
God who expresses his wrath every day.
12
If
he does not relent,
he
C
will sharpen his sword;
he
will bend and string his bow.
13
He
has prepared his deadly weapons;
he
makes ready his flaming arrows.
14
He
who is pregnant with evil
and
conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.
15
He
who digs a hole and scoops it out
falls
into the pit he has made.
16
The
trouble he causes recoils on himself;
his
violence comes down on his own head.
17
I
will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and
will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. 2
PSALMS:
37
Of
David.
1
Do
A
not fret because of evil men
or
be envious of those who do wrong;
2
for
like the grass they will soon wither,
like
green plants they will soon die away.
3
Trust
in the LORD and do good;
dwell
in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4
Delight
yourself in the LORD
and
he will give you the desires of your heart.
5
Commit
your way to the LORD;
trust
in him and he will do this:
6
He
will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the
justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7
Be
still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do
not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when
they carry out their wicked schemes.
8
Refrain
from anger and turn from wrath;
do
not fret--it leads only to evil.
9
For
evil men will be cut off,
but
those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10
A
little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though
you look for them, they will not be found.
11
But
the meek will inherit the land
and
enjoy great peace. 3
12
The
wicked plot against the righteous
and
gnash their teeth at them;
13
but
the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for
he knows their day is coming.
14
The
wicked draw the sword
and
bend the bow
to
bring down the poor and needy,
to
slay those whose ways are upright.
15
But
their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and
their bows will be broken.
16
Better
the little that the righteous have
than
the wealth of many wicked;
17
for
the power of the wicked will be broken,
but
the LORD upholds the righteous.
18
The
days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and
their inheritance will endure forever.
19
In
times of disaster they will not wither;
in
days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20
But
the wicked will perish:
The
LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they
will vanish--vanish like smoke.
21
The
wicked borrow and do not repay,
but
the righteous give generously;
22
those
the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but
those he curses will be cut off. 4
23
If
the LORD delights in a man's way,
he
makes his steps firm;
24
though
he stumble, he will not fall,
for
the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25
I
was young and now I am old,
yet
I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or
their children begging bread.
26
They
are always generous and lend freely;
their
children will be blessed.
27
Turn
from evil and do good;
then
you will dwell in the land forever.
28
For
the LORD loves the just
and
will not forsake his faithful ones.
They
will be protected forever,
but
the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
29
the
righteous will inherit the land
and
dwell in it forever.
30
The
mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and
his tongue speaks what is just.
31
The
law of his God is in his heart;
his
feet do not slip.
32
The
wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking
their very lives;
33
but
the LORD will not leave them in their power
or
let them be condemned when brought to trial. 5
34
Wait
for the LORD
and
keep his way.
He
will exalt you to inherit the land;
when
the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
35
I
have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing
like a green tree in its native soil,
36
but
he soon passed away and was no more;
though
I looked for him, he could not be found.
37
Consider
the blameless, observe the upright;
there
is a future B
for the man of peace.
38
But
all sinners will be destroyed;
the
future C
of the wicked will be cut off.
39
The
salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he
is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40
The
LORD helps them and delivers them;
he
delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because
they take refuge in him. 6
PSALMS:
67
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1
May
God be gracious to us and bless us
and
make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2
that
your ways may be known on earth,
your
salvation among all nations.
3
May
the peoples praise you, O God;
may
all the peoples praise you.
4
May
the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for
you rule the peoples justly
and
guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
5
May
the peoples praise you, O God;
may
all the peoples praise you.
6
Then
the land will yield its harvest,
and
God, our God, will bless us.
7
God
will bless us,
and
all the ends of the earth will fear him. 7
PSALMS:
97
1
The
LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let
the distant shores rejoice.
2
Clouds
and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness
and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3
Fire
goes before him
and
consumes his foes on every side.
4
His
lightning lights up the world;
the
earth sees and trembles.
5
The
mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before
the Lord of all the earth.
6
The
heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and
all the peoples see his glory.
7
All
who worship images are put to shame,
those
who boast in idols--
worship
him, all you gods!
8
Zion
hears and rejoices
and
the villages of Judah are glad
because
of your judgments, O LORD.
9
For
you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you
are exalted far above all gods.
10
Let
those who love the LORD hate evil,
for
he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and
delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11
Light
is shed upon the righteous
and
joy on the upright in heart.
12
Rejoice
in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and
praise his holy name. 8
PSALMS:
127
A
song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1
Unless
the LORD builds the house,
its
builders labor in vain.
Unless
the LORD watches over the city,
the
watchmen stand guard in vain.
2
In
vain you rise early
and
stay up late,
toiling
for food to eat--
for
he grants sleep to A
those he loves.
3
Sons
are a heritage from the LORD,
children
a reward from him.
4
Like
arrows in the hands of a warrior
are
sons born in one's youth.
5
Blessed
is the man
whose
quiver is full of them.
They
will not be put to shame
when
they contend with their enemies in the gate. 9
PROVERBS:
7
7
1
My son, keep my words
and
store up my commands within you.
2
Keep
my commands and you will live;
guard
my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3
Bind
them on your fingers;
write
them on the tablet of your heart.
4
Say
to wisdom, "You
are my sister,"
and
call understanding your kinsman;
5
they
will keep you from the adulteress,
from
the wayward wife with her seductive words.
6
At
the window of my house
I
looked out through the lattice.
7
I
saw among the simple,
I
noticed among the young men,
a
youth who lacked judgment.
8
He
was going down the street near her corner,
walking
along in the direction of her house
9
at
twilight, as the day was fading,
as
the dark of night set in.
10
Then
out came a woman to meet him,
dressed
like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11
(She
is loud and defiant,
her
feet never stay at home;
12
now
in the street, now in the squares,
at
every corner she lurks.)
13
She
took hold of him and kissed him
and
with a brazen face she said:
14
"I
have fellowship offerings A
at home;
today
I fulfilled my vows.
15
So
I came out to meet you; 10
I
looked for you and have found you!
16
I
have covered my bed
with
colored linens from Egypt.
17
I
have perfumed my bed
with
myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18
Come,
let's drink deep of love till morning;
let's
enjoy ourselves with love!
19
My
husband is not at home;
he
has gone on a long journey.
20
He
took his purse filled with money
and
will not be home till full moon."
21
With
persuasive words she led him astray;
she
seduced him with her smooth talk.
22
All
at once he followed her
like
an ox going to the slaughter,
like
a deer B
stepping into a noose C
23
till an arrow pierces his liver,
like
a bird darting into a snare,
little
knowing it will cost him his life.
24
Now
then, my sons, listen to me;
pay
attention to what I say.
25
Do
not let your heart turn to her ways
or
stray into her paths.
26
Many
are the victims she has brought down;
her
slain are a mighty throng.
27
Her
house is a highway to the grave, D
leading
down to the chambers of death. 11
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 KINGS 10:32 - 12:31
32
In
those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael
overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory 33
east
of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben
and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to
Bashan.
34
As
for the other events of Jehu's reign, all he did, and all his
achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the
kings of Israel?
35
Jehu
rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his
son succeeded him as king. 36
The
time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
11
1
When
Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she
proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2
But
Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram A
and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away
from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put
him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was
not killed. 3
He
remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six
years while Athaliah ruled the land.
4
In
the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a
hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at
the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them
under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the 12
king's son. 5
He
commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are
in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath--a third
of you guarding the royal palace, 6
a
third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who
take turns guarding the temple—7
and
you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath
duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8
Station
yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand.
Anyone who approaches your ranks B
must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
9
The
commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest
ordered. Each one took his men--those who were going on duty on the
Sabbath and those who were going off duty--and came to Jehoiada the
priest. 10
Then
he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to
King David and that were in the temple of the LORD. 11
The
guards, each with his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around
the king--near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the
north side of the temple.
12
Jehoiada
brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him
with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed
him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live
the king!"
13
When
Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went
to the people at the temple of the LORD.
14
She
looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom
was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all
the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then
13
Athaliah
tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"
15
Jehoiada
the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in
charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks C
and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had
said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD."
16
So
they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the
palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
17
Jehoiada
then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that
they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the
king and the people.
18
All
the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down.
They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the
priest of Baal in front of the altars.
Then
Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD. 19
He
took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and
all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down
from the temple of the LORD and went into the palace, entering by way
of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal
throne, 20
and
all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because
Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
21
Joash
D
was seven years old when he began to reign.
12
1
In
the seventh year of Jehu, Joash A
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's
name was Zibiah; she was 14
from Beersheba. 2
Joash
did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the
priest instructed him. 3
The
high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer
sacrifices and burn incense there.
4
Joash
said to the priests, "Collect all the money that is brought as
sacred offerings to the temple of the LORD--the money collected in
the census, the money received from personal vows and the money
brought voluntarily to the temple. 5
Let
every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it
be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple."
6
But
by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not
repaired the temple.
7
Therefore
King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and
asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the
temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for
repairing the temple." 8
The
priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the
people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
9
Jehoiada
the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it
beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the
LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the
money that was brought to the temple of the LORD. 10
Whenever
they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the
royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had
been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags. 11
When
the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men
appointed to supervise
the
work on the temple. 15With
it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD--the
carpenters and builders, 12
the
masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for
the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses
of restoring the temple.
13
The
money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins,
wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of
gold or silver for the temple of the LORD; 14
it
was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple.
15
They
did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money
to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. 16
The
money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into
the temple of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.
17
About
this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured
it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18
But
Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his
fathers--Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah--and
the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the
treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, and he
sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.
19
As
for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they
not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20
His
officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo,
on the road down to Silla. 21
The
officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad
son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his fathers in the City of
David. And 16
Amaziah his son succeeded him as king. 17
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 18:1 - 22
18
1
After
this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2
There
he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come
from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all
the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3
and
because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with
them. 4
Every
Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and
Greeks.
5
When
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself
exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the
Christ. A
6
But
when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his
clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own
heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the
Gentiles."
7
Then
Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius
Justus, a worshiper of God. 8
Crispus,
the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord;
and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed
and
were baptized.
9
One
night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do
not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10
For
I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I
have many people in this city."
11
So
Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12
While
Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul
and brought him into court. 13
"This
man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship
God in ways contrary to the law." 18
14
Just
as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you
Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime,
it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15
But
since it involves questions about words and names and your own
law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such
things." 16
So
he had them ejected from the court. 17
Then
they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in
front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever.
18
Paul
stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and
sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he
sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had
taken. 19
They
arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself
went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20
When
they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21
But
as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will."
Then he set sail from Ephesus.
22
When
he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then
went down to Antioch. 19
1
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
2
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
3
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
4
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
5
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
6
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
7
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
8
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
9
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
10
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
11
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
12
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
13
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
14
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
15
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
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
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
No comments:
Post a Comment