Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
DECEMBER
16
PSALMS: 16,
46, 76, 106, 136
PROVERBS:
16
OLD
TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 8:1 - 9:23
NEW
TESTAMENT: MARK 13:14 - 37
PSALMS: 16
A
miktam A of David.
1
Keep
me safe, O God,
for
in you I take refuge.
2
I
said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart
from you I have no good thing."
3
As
for the saints who are in the land,
they
are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
B
4
The
sorrows of those will increase
who
run after other gods.
I
will not pour out their libations of blood
or
take up their names on my lips.
5
LORD,
you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you
have made my lot secure.
6
The
boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely
I have a delightful inheritance.
7
I
will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even
at night my heart instructs me.
8
I
have set the LORD always before me.
Because
he is at my right hand,
I
will not be shaken. [1]
9
Therefore
my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my
body also will rest secure,
10
because
you will not abandon me to the grave, C
nor
will you let your Holy OneD see decay.
11
You
have madeE known to me the path of life;
you
will fill me with joy in your presence,
with
eternal pleasures at your right hand. [2]
PSALMS: 46
For
the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.
A A song.
1
God
is our refuge and strength,
an
ever-present help in trouble.
2
Therefore
we will not fear, though the earth give way
and
the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3
though
its waters roar and foam
and
the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
4
There
is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the
holy place where the Most High dwells.
5
God
is within her, she will not fall;
God
will help her at break of day.
6
Nations
are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he
lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7
The
LORD Almighty is with us;
the
God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
8
Come
and see the works of the LORD,
the
desolations he has brought on the earth.
9
He
makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he
breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he
burns the shieldsB with fire.
10
"Be still, and know that I am
God;
I
will be exalted among the nations,
I
will be exalted in the earth."
11
The
LORD Almighty is with us;
the
God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
[3]
PSALMS: 76
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A
song.
1
In
Judah God is known;
his
name is great in Israel.
2
His
tent is in Salem,
his
dwelling place in Zion.
3
There
he broke the flashing arrows,
the
shields and the swords, the weapons of war.
Selah
4
You
are resplendent with light,
more
majestic than mountains rich with game.
5
Valiant
men lie plundered,
they
sleep their last sleep;
not
one of the warriors
can
lift his hands.
6
At
your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both
horse and chariot lie still.
7
You
alone are to be feared.
Who
can stand before you when you are angry?
8
From
heaven you pronounced judgment,
and
the land feared and was quiet--
9
when
you, O God, rose up to judge,
to
save all the afflicted of the land.
Selah
10
Surely
your wrath against men brings you praise,
and
the survivors of your wrath are restrained.A
11
Make
vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them;
let
all the neighboring lands
bring
gifts to the One to be feared.
12
He
breaks the spirit of rulers; [4]
he
is feared by the kings of the earth [5]
PSALMS: 106
1
Praise
the LORD. A
Give
thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his
love endures forever.
2
Who
can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD
or
fully declare his praise?
3Blessed
are they who maintain justice,
who
constantly do what is right.
4
Remember
me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come
to my aid when you save them,
5
that
I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that
I may share in the joy of your nation
and
join your inheritance in giving praise.
6
We
have sinned, even as our fathers did;
we
have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7
When
our fathers were in Egypt,
they
gave no thought to your miracles;
they
did not remember your many kindnesses,
and
they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. B
8
Yet
he saved them for his name's sake,
to
make his mighty power known.
9
He
rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;
he
led them through the depths as through a desert.
10
He
saved them from the hand of the foe;
from
the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.
11
The
waters covered their adversaries;
not
one of them survived.
12
Then
they believed his promises
and
sang his praise. [6]
13
But
they soon forgot what he had done
and
did not wait for his counsel.
14
In
the desert they gave in to their craving;
in
the wasteland they put God to the test.
15
So
he gave them what they asked for,
but
sent a wasting disease upon them.
16
In
the camp they grew envious of Moses
and
of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.
17
The
earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it
buried the company of Abiram.
18
Fire
blazed among their followers;
a
flame consumed the wicked.
19
At
Horeb they made a calf
and
worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20
They
exchanged their Glory
for
an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21
They
forgot the God who saved them,
who
had done great things in Egypt,
22
miracles
in the land of Ham
and
awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23
So
he said he would destroy them--
had
not Moses, his chosen one,
stood
in the breach before him
to
keep his wrath from destroying them.
24
Then
they despised the pleasant land;
they
did not believe his promise.
25
They
grumbled in their tents
and
did not obey the LORD.
26
So
he swore to them with uplifted hand
that
he would make them fall in the desert,
27
make
their descendants fall among the nations [7]
and
scatter them throughout the lands.
28
They
yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor
and
ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29
they
provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds,
and
a plague broke out among them.
30
But
Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and
the plague was checked.
31
This
was credited to him as righteousness
for
endless generations to come.
32
By
the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD,
and
trouble came to Moses because of them;
33
for
they rebelled against the Spirit of God,
and
rash words came from Moses' lips. C
34
They
did not destroy the peoples
as
the LORD had commanded them,
35
but
they mingled with the nations
and
adopted their customs.
36
They
worshiped their idols,
which
became a snare to them.
37
They
sacrificed their sons
and
their daughters to demons.
38
They
shed innocent blood,
the
blood of their sons and daughters,
whom
they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and
the land was desecrated by their blood.
39
They
defiled themselves by what they did;
by
their deeds they prostituted themselves.
40
Therefore
the LORD was angry with his people
and
abhorred his inheritance.
41
He
handed them over to the nations,
and
their foes ruled over them. [8]
42
Their
enemies oppressed them
and
subjected them to their power.
43
Many
times he delivered them,
but
they were bent on rebellion
and
they wasted away in their sin.
44
But
he took note of their distress
when
he heard their cry;
45
for
their sake he remembered his covenant
and
out of his great love he relented.
46
He
caused them to be pitied
by
all who held them captive.
47
Save
us, O LORD our God,
and
gather us from the nations,
that
we may give thanks to your holy name
and
glory in your praise.
48
Praise
be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from
everlasting to everlasting.
Let
all the people say, "Amen!"
Praise
the LORD. [9]
PSALMS: 136
1
Give
thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His
love endures forever.
2
Give
thanks to the God of gods.
His
love endures forever.
3
Give
thanks to the Lord of lords:
His
love endures forever.
4
to
him who alone does great wonders,
His
love endures forever.
5
who
by his understanding made the heavens,
His
love endures forever.
6
who
spread out the earth upon the waters,
His
love endures forever.
7
who
made the great lights--
His
love endures forever.
8
the
sun to govern the day,
His
love endures forever.
9
the
moon and stars to govern the night;
His
love endures forever.
10
to
him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His
love endures forever.
11
and
brought Israel out from among them
His
love endures forever.
12
with
a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His
love endures forever.
13
to
him who divided the Red Sea A asunder
His
love endures forever.
14
and
brought Israel through the midst of it,
His
love endures forever.
15
but
swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His
love endures forever.
16t
o him who led his people through the desert,
His
love endures forever.
17
who
struck down great kings,
His
love endures forever.
18
and
killed mighty kings--
His
love endures forever.
19
Sihon
king of the Amorites
His
love endures forever.
20
and
Og king of Bashan--
His
love endures forever.
21
and
gave their land as an inheritance,
His
love endures forever.
22
an
inheritance to his servant Israel;
His
love endures forever.
23
to
the One who remembered us in our low estate
His
love endures forever.
24
and
freed us from our enemies,
His
love endures forever.
25
and
who gives food to every creature.
His
love endures forever.
26
Give
thanks to the God of heaven.
PROVERBS: 16
16
1
To man belong the plans of the heart,
but
from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
2
All
a man's ways seem innocent to him,
but
motives are weighed by the LORD.
3
Commit
to the LORD whatever you do,
and
your plans will succeed.
4
The
LORD works out everything for his own ends--
even
the wicked for a day of disaster.
5
The
LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be
sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6
Through
love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through
the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
7
When
a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he
makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
8
Better
a little with righteousness
than
much gain with injustice.
9
In
his heart a man plans his course,
but
the LORD determines his steps.
10
The
lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and
his mouth should not betray justice.
11
Honest
scales and balances are from the LORD;
all
the weights in the bag are of his making.[12]
12
Kings
detest wrongdoing,
for
a throne is established through righteousness.
13
Kings
take pleasure in honest lips;
they
value a man who speaks the truth.
14
A
king's wrath is a messenger of death,
but
a wise man will appease it.
15
When
a king's face brightens, it means life;
his
favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16
How
much better to get wisdom than gold,
to
choose understanding rather than silver!
17
The
highway of the upright avoids evil;
he
who guards his way guards his life.
18
Pride
goes before destruction,
a
haughty spirit before a fall.
19
Better
to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed
than
to share plunder with the proud.
20
Whoever
gives heed to instruction prospers,
and
blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
21
The
wise in heart are called discerning,
and
pleasant words promote instruction. A
22
Understanding
is a fountain of life to those who have it,
but
folly brings punishment to fools. [13]
23
A
wise man's heart guides his mouth,
and
his lips promote instruction. B
24
Pleasant
words are a honeycomb,
sweet
to the soul and healing to the bones.
25
There
is a way that seems right to a man,
but
in the end it leads to death.
26
The
laborer's appetite works for him;
his
hunger drives him on.
27
A
scoundrel plots evil,
and
his speech is like a scorching fire.
28
A
perverse man stirs up dissension,
and
a gossip separates close friends.
29
A
violent man entices his neighbor
and
leads him down a path that is not good.
30
He
who winks with his eye is plotting perversity;
he
who purses his lips is bent on evil.
31
Gray
hair is a crown of splendor;
it
is attained by a righteous life.
32
Better
a patient man than a warrior,
a
man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
33
The
lot is cast into the lap,
but
its every decision is from the LORD. [14]
OLD
TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 8:1 - 9:23
8
1
The
LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to Aaron and
say to him, `When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in
front of the lampstand.' "
3
Aaron
did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as
the LORD commanded Moses. 4 This is how the lampstand was made: It
was made of hammered gold--from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made
exactly like the pattern the LORD had shown Moses.
5
The
LORD said to Moses: 6 "Take the Levites
from among the other Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.
7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle
the water of cleansing on them; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash
their clothes, and so purify themselves. 8 Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine
flour mixed with oil; then you are to take a second young bull for a sin
offering. 9 Bring the Levites to the
front of the Tent of Meeting and assemble the whole Israelite community.
10 You are to bring the Levites
before the LORD, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.
11 Aaron is to present the Levites
before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be
ready to do the work of the LORD.
12
"After the Levites lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, use the one for a
sin offering to the LORD and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement
for the Levites. 13
Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a
wave offering to the LORD. 14
In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the
Levites will be mine.
15
"After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they
are to come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting. 16
They
are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own
in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman.
17
Every firstborn male in Israel, whether man or animal, is mine. When I struck
down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself. 18
And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.
19
Of all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons
to do the work at the Tent of Meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make
atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go
near the sanctuary."
20
Moses,
Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the LORD
commanded Moses. 21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their
clothes. Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD and made
atonement for them to purify them. 22 After that, the Levites came to
do their work at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his
sons. They did with the Levites just as the LORD commanded Moses.
23
The
LORD said to Moses, 24 "This applies to the
Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work
at the Tent [15]of
Meeting, 25 but at the age of fifty,
they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.
26 They may assist their brothers in
performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do
the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the
Levites."
9
1
The
LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year
after they came out of Egypt. He said, 2 "Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed
time. 3 Celebrate it at the
appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance
with all its rules and regulations."
4
So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, 5
and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the
first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.
6
But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were
ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron
that same day 7
and said to Moses, "We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why
should we be kept from presenting the LORD's offering with the other Israelites
at the appointed time?"
8
Moses
answered them, "Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you."
9
Then
the LORD said to Moses, 10 "Tell the
Israelites: `When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead
body or are away on a journey, they may still celebrate the LORD's Passover.
11 They are to celebrate it on the
fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb,
together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of
its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the
regulations. 13 But if a man who is
ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, that
person must be cut off from his people because he did not present the LORD's
offering at the appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.
14
"`An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must do
so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same
regulations for the alien and the native-born.'"
15
On
the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered
it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.
16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night
it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the
Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites
encamped. 18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his
command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they
remained in camp.
19
When
the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the
LORD's order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the
tabernacle only a few [16]
days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they
would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till
morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by
night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud
stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites
would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.
23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command
they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command
through Moses.[17]
NEW
TESTAMENT: MARK 13:14 - 37
14
"When you see `the abomination that causes desolation'
A standing where it
B does not belong--let the reader
understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
15 Let no one on the roof of his
house go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
17
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
18
Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19
because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God
created the world, until now--and never to be equaled again. 20
If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake
of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21
At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ C!'
or, `Look, there he is!' do not believe it. 22
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles
to deceive the elect--if that were possible. 23
So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
24
"But in those days, following that distress,
"`the
sun will be darkened,
and
the moon will not give its light;
25
the stars will fall from the sky,
and
the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' D
26
"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and
glory. 27
And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the
ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
28
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and
its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29
Even
so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the
door. 30
I
tell you the truth, this generationE will certainly not pass away
until all these things have happened. 31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
32
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, but only the Father.
33
Be on guard! Be alert F! You do not know when that time will come.
34 It's like a man going away: He
leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task,
and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35
"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will
come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or
at dawn. 36
If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37
What I say to you, I say to everyone: `Watch!'
"[18]
[1]
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[2]
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[18]
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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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