Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
JULY
31
PSALMS:
31, 61, 91, 121
PROVERBS:
31
OLD
TESTAMENT:
JEREMIAH 35:1 - 36:32
NEW
TESTAMENT:
1 TIMOTHY 5:1 - 25
PSALMS:
31
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
In
you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let
me never be put to shame;
deliver
me in your righteousness.
2
Turn
your ear to me,
come
quickly to my rescue;
be
my rock of refuge,
a
strong fortress to save me.
3
Since
you are my rock and my fortress,
for
the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4
Free
me from the trap that is set for me,
for
you are my refuge.
5
Into
your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem
me, O LORD, the God of truth.
6
I
hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I
trust in the LORD.
7
I
will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for
you saw my affliction
and
knew the anguish of my soul.
8
You
have not handed me over to the enemy
but
have set my feet in a spacious place.
9
Be
merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my
eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my
soul and my body with grief.
10
My
life is consumed by anguish
and
my years by groaning;
my
strength fails because of my affliction, A
and
my bones grow weak. 1
11
Because
of all my enemies,
I
am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I
am a dread to my friends--
those
who see me on the street flee from me.
12
I
am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I
have become like broken pottery.
13
For
I hear the slander of many;
there
is terror on every side;
they
conspire against me
and
plot to take my life.
14
But
I trust in you, O LORD;
I
say, "You are my God."
15
My
times are in your hands;
deliver
me from my enemies
and
from those who pursue me.
16
Let
your face shine on your servant;
save
me in your unfailing love.
17
Let
me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for
I have cried out to you;
but
let the wicked be put to shame
and
lie silent in the grave. B
18
Let
their lying lips be silenced,
for
with pride and contempt
they
speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19
How
great is your goodness,
which
you have stored up for those who fear you,
which
you bestow in the sight of men
on
those who take refuge in you.
20
In
the shelter of your presence you hide them
from
the intrigues of men;
in
your dwelling you keep them safe 2
from
accusing tongues.
21
Praise
be to the LORD,
for
he showed his wonderful love to me
when
I was in a besieged city.
22
In
my alarm I said,
"I
am cut off from your sight!"
Yet
you heard my cry for mercy
when
I called to you for help.
23
Love
the LORD, all his saints!
The
LORD preserves the faithful,
but
the proud he pays back in full.
24
Be
strong and take heart,
all
you who hope in the LORD. 3
PSALMS:
61
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.
1
Hear
my cry, O God;
listen
to my prayer.
2
From
the ends of the earth I call to you,
I
call as my heart grows faint;
lead
me to the rock that is higher than I.
3
For
you have been my refuge,
a
strong tower against the foe.
4
I
long to dwell in your tent forever
and
take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah
5
For
you have heard my vows, O God;
you
have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6
Increase
the days of the king's life,
his
years for many generations.
7
May
he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint
your love and faithfulness to protect him.
8
Then
will I ever sing praise to your name
and
fulfill my vows day after day. 4
PSALMS:
91
1
He
who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will
rest in the shadow of the Almighty. A
2
I
will say B
of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my
God, in whom I trust."
3
Surely
he will save you from the fowler's snare
and
from the deadly pestilence.
4
He
will cover you with his feathers,
and
under his wings you will find refuge;
his
faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5
You
will not fear the terror of night,
nor
the arrow that flies by day,
6
nor
the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor
the plague that destroys at midday.
7
A
thousand may fall at your side,
ten
thousand at your right hand,
but
it will not come near you.
8
You
will only observe with your eyes
and
see the punishment of the wicked.
9
If
you make the Most High your dwelling--
even
the LORD, who is my refuge--
10
then
no harm will befall you,
no
disaster will come near your tent.
11
For
he will command his angels concerning you
to
guard you in all your ways;
12
they
will lift you up in their hands,
so
that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13
You
will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you
will trample the great lion and the serpent. 5
14
"Because
he loves me,"
says the LORD, "I
will rescue him;
I
will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15
He
will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I
will be with him in trouble,
I
will deliver him and honor him.
16
With
long life will I satisfy him
and
show him my salvation."
6
PSALMS:
121
A
song of ascents.
1
I
lift up my eyes to the hills--
where
does my help come from?
2
My
help comes from the LORD,
the
Maker of heaven and earth.
3
He
will not let your foot slip--
he
who watches over you will not slumber;
4
indeed,
he who watches over Israel
will
neither slumber nor sleep.
5
The
LORD watches over you--
the
LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6
the
sun will not harm you by day,
nor
the moon by night.
7
The
LORD will keep you from all harm--
he
will watch over your life;
8
the
LORD will watch over your coming and going
both
now and forevermore. 7
PROVERBS:
31
31
1
The
sayings of King Lemuel--an oracle A
his mother taught him:
2
"O
my son, O son of my womb,
O
son of my vows, B
3
do
not spend your strength on women,
your
vigor on those who ruin kings.
4
"It
is not for kings, O Lemuel--
not
for kings to drink wine,
not
for rulers to crave beer,
5
lest
they drink and forget what the law decrees,
and
deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6
Give
beer to those who are perishing,
wine
to those who are in anguish;
7
let
them drink and forget their poverty
and
remember their misery no more.
8
"Speak
up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for
the rights of all who are destitute.
9
Speak
up and judge fairly;
defend
the rights of the poor and needy."
8
10
C
A wife of noble character who can find?
She
is worth far more than rubies.
11
Her
husband has full confidence in her
and
lacks nothing of value.
12
She
brings him good, not harm,
all
the days of her life.
13
She
selects wool and flax
and
works with eager hands.
14
She
is like the merchant ships,
bringing
her food from afar.
15
She
gets up while it is still dark;
she
provides food for her family
and
portions for her servant girls.
16
She
considers a field and buys it;
out
of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17
She
sets about her work vigorously;
her
arms are strong for her tasks.
18
She
sees that her trading is profitable,
and
her lamp does not go out at night.
19
In
her hand she holds the distaff
and
grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20
She
opens her arms to the poor
and
extends her hands to the needy.
21
When
it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for
all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22
She
makes coverings for her bed;
she
is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23
Her
husband is respected at the city gate,
where
he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24
She
makes linen garments and sells them,
and
supplies the merchants with sashes.
25
She
is clothed with strength and dignity;
she
can laugh at the days to come.
26
She
speaks with wisdom, 9
and
faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27
She
watches over the affairs of her household
and
does not eat the bread of idleness.
28
Her
children arise and call her blessed;
her
husband also, and he praises her:
29
"Many
women do noble things,
but
you surpass them all."
30
Charm
is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but
a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31
Give
her the reward she has earned,
and
let her works bring her praise at the city gate. 10
OLD
TESTAMENT:
JEREMIAH 35:1 - 36:32
35
1
This
is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD during the reign of
Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2
"Go
to the Recabite family and invite them to come to one of the side
rooms of the house of the LORD and give them wine to drink."
3
So
I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and
his brothers and all his sons--the whole family of the Recabites. 4
I
brought them into the house of the LORD, into the room of the sons of
Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the
officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the
doorkeeper. 5
Then
I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the men of the Recabite
family and said to them, "Drink some wine."
6
But
they replied, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather
Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: `Neither you nor your
descendants must ever drink wine. 7
Also
you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must
never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then
you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.' 8
We
have obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Recab commanded
us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever
drunk wine 9 or
built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10
We
have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather
Jonadab commanded us. 11
But
when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded this land, we said,
`Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian A
and Aramean armies.' So we have remained in Jerusalem."
12
Then
the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: 13
"This
is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the
men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem,
`Will
you not learn a lesson and obey my words?'
declares the LORD.
14
`Jonadab
son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has
been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey
their forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again,
yet you have not obeyed me.
15
Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They
said, "Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform
your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will
live in the land I have given to you and your fathers." But you
have not paid attention or listened to me. 16
The descendants of Jonadab son of Recab have carried out the command
their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.'
17
"Therefore,
this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: `Listen!
I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem
every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they
did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.'"
18
Then
Jeremiah said to the family of the Recabites, "This
is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: `You have obeyed
the command of your forefather Jonadab and have followed all his
instructions and have done everything he ordered.' 19
Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
`Jonadab son of Recab will never fail to have a man to serve me.'"
11
36
1
In
the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word
came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2
"Take
a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you
concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I
began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. 3
Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to
inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I
will forgive their wickedness and their sin."
4
So
Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and while Jeremiah dictated all
the words the LORD had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the
scroll. 5
Then
Jeremiah told Baruch, "I am restricted; I cannot go to the
LORD's temple. 6
So
you go to the house of the LORD on a day of fasting and read to the
people from the scroll the words of the LORD that you wrote as I
dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their
towns. 7
Perhaps
they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each will turn
from his wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this
people by the LORD are great."
8
Baruch
son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at
the LORD's temple he read the words of the LORD from the scroll. 9
In
the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of
Judah, a time of fasting before the LORD was proclaimed for all the
people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah.
10
From
the room of Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the
upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the temple, Baruch
read to all the people at the LORD's temple the words of Jeremiah
from the scroll.
11
When
Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of
the LORD from the scroll, 12
he
went down to the secretary's room in the royal palace, where all the
officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of
Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Acbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah
son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.
13
After
Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people
from the scroll, 14
all
the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the
son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, "Bring the scroll from which you
have read to the people and come." So Baruch son of Neriah went
to them with the scroll in his hand.
15
They
said to him, "Sit down, please, and read it to us."
So
Baruch read it to them. 16
When
they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear and
said to Baruch, "We must report all these words to the king."
17
Then
they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you come to write all this?
Did Jeremiah dictate it?"
18
"Yes,"
Baruch replied, "he dictated all these words to me, and I wrote
them in ink on the scroll."
19
Then
the officials said to Baruch, "You and Jeremiah, go and hide.
Don't let anyone know where you are."
20
After
they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went
to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21
The
king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the
room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the
officials standing beside him. 22
It
was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment,
with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 12
23
Whenever
Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut
them off with a scribe's knife and threw them into the firepot, until
the entire scroll was burned in the fire. 24
The
king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear,
nor did they tear their clothes. 25
Even
though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the
scroll, he would not listen to them. 26
Instead,
the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of
Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and
Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them.
27
After
the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had
written at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the LORD came to
Jeremiah: 28
"Take
another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first
scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up. 29
Also tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, `This is what the LORD says: You
burned that scroll and said, "Why did you write on it that the
king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and cut
off both men and animals from it?"
30
Therefore,
this is what the LORD says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He
will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be
thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. 31
I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their
wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and
the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because
they have not listened.'"
32
So
Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of
Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it all the words of
the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And
many similar words were added to them. 13
NEW
TESTAMENT:
1 TIMOTHY 5:1 - 25
5
1
Do
not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your
father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2
older
women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3
Give
proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4
But
if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of
all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own
family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is
pleasing to God. 5
The
widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God
and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6
But
the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7
Give
the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to
blame. 8
If
anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his
immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever.
9
No
widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has
been faithful to her husband, A
10
and
is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children,
showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in
trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11
As
for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their
sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to
marry. 12
Thus
they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their
first pledge. 13
Besides,
they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to
house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and
busybodies, saying things they ought not to. 14
So
I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their
homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15
Some
have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16
If
any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help
them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church
can help those widows who are really in need.
17
The
elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double
honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18
For
the Scripture says, "Do
not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,"
B
and "The
worker deserves his wages."
C
19
Do
not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by
two or three witnesses.
20
Those
who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take
warning.
21
I
charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect
angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do
nothing out of favoritism.
22
Do
not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins
of others. Keep yourself pure.
23
Stop
drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach
and your frequent illnesses. 14
24
The
sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of
them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25
In
the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not
cannot be hidden. 15
1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
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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
