APRIL
10
PSALMS: 10,
40, 70, 100, 130
PROVERBS: 10
OLD TESTAMENT: 2 KINGS 17:1 - 18:12
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 20:1 - 38
PSALMS: 10
1
Why, A O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why
do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who
are caught in the schemes he devises.
3
He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he
blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4
In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in
all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5
His ways are always prosperous;
he
is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he
sneers at all his enemies.
6
He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
I'll
always be happy and never have trouble."
7
His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble
and evil are under his tongue.
8
He lies in wait near the villages;
from
ambush he murders the innocent,
watching
in secret for his victims.
9
He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he
lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he
catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10
His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they
fall under his strength.
11
He says to himself, "God has forgotten;
he
covers his face and never sees." [1]
12
Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do
not forget the helpless.
13
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why
does he say to himself,
"He
won't call me to account"?
14
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you
consider it to take it in hand.
The
victim commits himself to you;
you
are the helper of the fatherless.
15
Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call
him to account for his wickedness
that
would not be found out.
16
The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the
nations will perish from his land.
17
You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
you
encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
in
order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more. [2]
PSALMS: 40
For
the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he
turned to me and heard my cry.
2
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out
of the mud and mire;
he
set my feet on a rock
and
gave me a firm place to stand.
3
He put a new song in my mouth,
a
hymn of praise to our God.
Many
will see and fear
and
put their trust in the LORD.
4
Blessed is the man
who
makes the LORD his trust,
who
does not look to the proud,
to
those who turn aside to false gods. A
5
Many, O LORD my God,
are
the wonders you have done.
The
things you planned for us
no
one can recount to you;
were
I to speak and tell of them,
they
would be too many to declare.
6
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but
my ears you have pierced BC;
burnt
offerings and sin offerings
you
did not require.
7
Then I said, "Here I
am, I have come--
it is written about me in the scroll. D [3]
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
9
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I
do not seal my lips,
as
you know, O LORD.
10
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I
speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I
do not conceal your love and your truth
from
the great assembly.
11
Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may
your love and your truth always protect me.
12
For troubles without number surround me;
my
sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They
are more than the hairs of my head,
and
my heart fails within me.
13
Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O
LORD, come quickly to help me.
14
May all who seek to take my life
be
put to shame and confusion;
may
all who desire my ruin
be
turned back in disgrace.
15
May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be
appalled at their own shame.
16
But may all who seek you
rejoice
and be glad in you;
may
those who love your salvation always say,
"The
LORD be exalted!"[4]
17
Yet I am poor and needy;
may
the Lord think of me.
You
are my help and my deliverer;
O
my God, do not delay. [5]
PSALMS: 70
For
the director of music. Of David. A petition.
1
Hasten, O God, to save me;
O
LORD, come quickly to help me.
2
May those who seek my life
be
put to shame and confusion;
may
all who desire my ruin
be
turned back in disgrace.
3
May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
turn
back because of their shame.
4
But may all who seek you
rejoice
and be glad in you;
may
those who love your salvation always say,
"Let
God be exalted!"
5
Yet I am poor and needy;
come
quickly to me, O God.
You
are my help and my deliverer;
O
LORD, do not delay. [6]
PSALMS: 100
A
psalm. For giving thanks.
1
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come
before him with joyful songs.
3
Know that the LORD is God.
It
is he who made us, and we are his A;
we
are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and
his courts with praise;
give
thanks to him and praise his name.
5
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his
faithfulness continues through all generations. [7]
PSALMS: 130
A
song of ascents.
1
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
2
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let
your ears be attentive
to
my cry for mercy.
3
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O
Lord, who could stand?
4
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore
you are feared.
5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and
in his word I put my hope.
6
My soul waits for the Lord
more
than watchmen wait for the morning,
more
than watchmen wait for the morning.
7
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for
with the LORD is unfailing love
and
with him is full redemption.
8
He himself will redeem Israel
from
all their sins. [8]
PROVERBS: 10
10
1 The proverbs of Solomon:
A
wise son brings joy to his father,
but
a foolish son grief to his mother.
2
Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but
righteousness delivers from death.
3
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry
but
he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but
diligent hands bring wealth.
5
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but
he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
6
Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but
violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. A
7
The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but
the name of the wicked will rot.
8
The wise in heart accept commands,
but
a chattering fool comes to ruin.
9
The man of integrity walks securely,
but
he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
10
He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and
a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but
violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. [9]
12
Hatred stirs up dissension,
but
love covers over all wrongs.
13
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but
a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
14
Wise men store up knowledge,
but
the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
15
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but
poverty is the ruin of the poor.
16
The wages of the righteous bring them life,
but
the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
17
He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but
whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
18
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and
whoever spreads slander is a fool.
19
When words are many, sin is not absent,
but
he who holds his tongue is wise.
20
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but
the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21
The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but
fools die for lack of judgment.
22
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
and
he adds no trouble to it. [10]
23
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct,
but
a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
24
What the wicked dreads will overtake him;
what
the righteous desire will be granted.
25
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but
the righteous stand firm forever.
26
As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so
is a sluggard to those who send him.
27
The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but
the years of the wicked are cut short.
28
The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but
the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
29
The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous,
but
it is the ruin of those who do evil.
30
The righteous will never be uprooted,
but
the wicked will not remain in the land.
31
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but
a perverse tongue will be cut out.
32
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but
the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. [11]
OLD TESTAMENT: 2 KINGS 17:1 - 18:12
17 1
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son
of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 2 He
did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded
him.
3 Shalmaneser
king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser's vassal and
had paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria discovered that
Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So A king of Egypt,
and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by
year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison. 5 The
king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege
to it for three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of
Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled
them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.
7 All
this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God,
who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of
Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8 and followed the practices of the
nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the
kings of Israel had introduced. 9 The Israelites secretly did things
against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified
city they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10 They
set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every
spreading tree. 11 At every high place they burned incense, as the
nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. They did wicked
things that provoked the LORD to anger. 12 They [12]worshiped
idols, though the LORD had said, "You shall not
do this." B 13 The LORD warned Israel and
Judah through all his prophets and seers: "Turn
from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the
entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you
through my servants the prophets."
14 But
they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not
trust in the LORD their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the
covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them.
They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated
the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and they did the things
the LORD had forbidden them to do.
16 They
forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two
idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all
the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 17 They sacrificed their
sons and daughters in C the fire. They practiced divination and
sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him
to anger.
18 So
the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only
the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the
commands of the LORD their God. They followed the practices Israel had
introduced. 20 Therefore the LORD rejected all the people of Israel;
he afflicted them and gave them [13]
into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.
21 When
he tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat
their king. Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the LORD and caused
them to commit a great sin. 22 The Israelites persisted in all the
sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them 23 until the LORD
removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the
prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in
Assyria, and they are still there.
24 The
king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and
Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites.
They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first
lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and
they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of
Assyria: "The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do
not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them,
which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he
requires."
27 Then
the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took
captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of
the land requires." 28 So one of the priests who had been
exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the
LORD. [14]
29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the
several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of
Samaria had made at the high places. 30 The men from Babylon made
Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made
Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned
their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the
gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They worshiped the LORD, but they also
appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the
shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they
also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from
which they had been brought.
34 To
this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD
nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the LORD
gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 When the
LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not
worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. 36
But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and
outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to
him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the
decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship
other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and
do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the LORD your God; it
is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." [15]
40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former
practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they
were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue
to do as their fathers did.
18 1
In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of
Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was
twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah A daughter of
Zechariah.
3 He
did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. 4
He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the
Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to
that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called B
Nehushtan. C)
5 Hezekiah
trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the
kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to
the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had
given Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; he was successful in
whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not
serve him. 8 From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the
Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.
9 In
King Hezekiah's fourth year, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah
king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and laid
siege to it.
10 At
the end of three [16]years
the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah's sixth year, which
was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. 11 The king of Assyria
deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor
River and in towns of the Medes. 12 This happened because they had
not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant--all that Moses
the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor
carried them out. [17]
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 20:1 - 38
20 1
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples
and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. 2 He
traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people,
and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months.
Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for
Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied
by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from
Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from
the province of Asia.
5 These
men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from
Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the
others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
7 On
the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the
people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until
midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were
meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who
was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound
asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10
Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around
him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" 11 Then
he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight,
he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were
greatly comforted.
13 We
went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take
Paul aboard. He had made this
arrangement [18]
because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we
took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail
from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos,
and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
16 Paul
had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of
Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of
Pentecost.
17 From
Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When
they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was
with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I
served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely
tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not
hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you
publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews
and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord
Jesus.
22 "And
now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will
happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit
warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I
consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and
complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the
gospel of God's grace.
25 "Now
I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will
ever see me again.
26 Therefore,
I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For
I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. [19]
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers.A Be shepherds of the church of God,B
which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave,
savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even
from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away
disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for
three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 "Now
I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I
have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You
yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the
needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by
this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord
Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than
to receive.'"
36 When
he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They
all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them
most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they
accompanied him to the ship. [20]
[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]
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[4]
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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
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[13] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[14] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[15] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[16] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[17] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[18] Excerpted from Compton's
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[19] Excerpted from Compton's
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[20] Excerpted from Compton's
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