Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
12
PSALMS:
12, 42, 72, 102, 132
PROVERBS:
12
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 KINGS 20:1 - 22:1
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 21:18 - 36
PSALMS:
12
For
the director of music. According to sheminith.
A
A psalm of David.
1
Help,
LORD, for the godly are no more;
the
faithful have vanished from among men.
2
Everyone
lies to his neighbor;
their
flattering lips speak with deception.
3
May
the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and
every boastful tongue
4
that
says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we
own our lips B--who
is our master?"
5
"Because
of the oppression of the weak
and
the groaning of the needy,
I
will now arise,"
says the LORD.
"I
will protect them from those who malign them."
6
And
the words of the LORD are flawless,
like
silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified
seven times.
7
O
LORD, you will keep us safe
and
protect us from such people forever.
8
The
wicked freely strut about
when
what is vile is honored among men. 1
PSALMS:
42
For
A
the director of music. A maskil
B
of the Sons of Korah.
1
As
the deer pants for streams of water,
so
my soul pants for you, O God.
2
My
soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When
can I go and meet with God?
3
My
tears have been my food
day
and night,
while
men say to me all day long,
"Where
is your God?"
4
These
things I remember
as
I pour out my soul:
how
I used to go with the multitude,
leading
the procession to the house of God,
with
shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among
the festive throng.
5
Why
are you downcast, O my soul?
Why
so disturbed within me?
Put
your hope in God,
for
I will yet praise him,
my
Savior and 6
my
God.
My
C
soul is downcast within me;
therefore
I will remember you
from
the land of the Jordan,
the
heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar.
7
Deep
calls to deep
in
the roar of your waterfalls;
all
your waves and breakers
have
swept over me.
8
By
day the LORD directs his love,
at
night his song is with me--
a
prayer to the God of my life.
9
I
say to God my Rock,
"Why
have you forgotten me?
Why
must I go about mourning,
oppressed
by the enemy?"
10
My
bones suffer mortal agony
as
my foes taunt me,
saying
to me all day long,
"Where
is your God?"
11
Why
are you downcast, O my soul?
Why
so disturbed within me?
Put
your hope in God,
for
I will yet praise him,
my
Savior and my God. 2
PSALMS:
72
Of
Solomon.
1
Endow
the king with your justice, O God,
the
royal son with your righteousness.
2
He
will A
judge your people in righteousness,
your
afflicted ones with justice.
3
The
mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the
hills the fruit of righteousness.
4
He
will defend the afflicted among the people
and
save the children of the needy;
he
will crush the oppressor.
5
He
will endure B
as long as the sun,
as
long as the moon, through all generations.
6
He
will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like
showers watering the earth.
7
In
his days the righteous will flourish;
prosperity
will abound till the moon is no more.
8
He
will rule from sea to sea
and
from the River C
to the ends of the earth. D
9
The
desert tribes will bow before him
and
his enemies will lick the dust.
10
The
kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will
bring tribute to him;
the
kings of Sheba and Seba
will
present him gifts.
11
All
kings will bow down to him
and
all nations will serve him. 3
Of
Solomon.
12
For
he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the
afflicted who have no one to help.
13
He
will take pity on the weak and the needy
and
save the needy from death.
14
He
will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for
precious is their blood in his sight.
15
Long
may he live!
May
gold from Sheba be given him.
May
people ever pray for him
and
bless him all day long.
16
Let
grain abound throughout the land;
on
the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let
its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
let
it thrive like the grass of the field.
17
May
his name endure forever;
may
it continue as long as the sun.
All
nations will be blessed through him,
and
they will call him blessed. 4
18
Praise
be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who
alone does marvelous deeds.
19
Praise
be to his glorious name forever;
may
the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen
and Amen.
PSALMS:
102
A
prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament
before the LORD.
1
Hear
my prayer, O LORD;
let
my cry for help come to you.
2
Do
not hide your face from me
when
I am in distress.
Turn
your ear to me;
when
I call, answer me quickly.
3
For
my days vanish like smoke;
my
bones burn like glowing embers.
4
My
heart is blighted and withered like grass;
I
forget to eat my food.
5
Because
of my loud groaning
I
am reduced to skin and bones.
6
I
am like a desert owl,
like
an owl among the ruins.
7
I
lie awake; I have become
like
a bird alone on a roof.
8
All
day long my enemies taunt me;
those
who rail against me use my name as a curse.
9
For
I eat ashes as my food
and
mingle my drink with tears
10
because
of your great wrath,
for
you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11
My
days are like the evening shadow;
I
wither away like grass. 6
12
But
you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever;
your
renown endures through all generations.
13
You
will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for
it is time to show favor to her;
the
appointed time has come.
14
For
her stones are dear to your servants;
her
very dust moves them to pity.
15
The
nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all
the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
16
For
the LORD will rebuild Zion
and
appear in his glory.
17
He
will respond to the prayer of the destitute;
he
will not despise their plea.
18
Let
this be written for a future generation,
that
a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
19
"The
LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from
heaven he viewed the earth,
20
to
hear the groans of the prisoners
and
release those condemned to death."
21
So
the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion
and
his praise in Jerusalem
22
when
the peoples and the kingdoms
assemble
to worship the LORD.
23
In
the course of my life A
he broke my strength;
he
cut short my days.
24
So
I said:
"Do
not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days;
your
years go on through all generations.
25
In
the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and
the heavens are the work of your hands.7
26
They
will perish, but you remain;
they
will all wear out like a garment.
Like
clothing you will change them
and
they will be discarded.
27
But
you remain the same,
and
your years will never end.
28
The
children of your servants will live in your presence;
their
descendants will be established before you." 8
PSALMS:
132
A
song of ascents.
1
O
LORD, remember David
and
all the hardships he endured.
2
He
swore an oath to the LORD
and
made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3
"I
will not enter my house
or
go to my bed--
4
I
will allow no sleep to my eyes,
no
slumber to my eyelids,
5
till
I find a place for the LORD,
a
dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."
6
We
heard it in Ephrathah,
we
came upon it in the fields of Jaar A:
B
7
"Let
us go to his dwelling place;
let
us worship at his footstool--
8
arise,
O LORD, and come to your resting place,
you
and the ark of your might.
9
May
your priests be clothed with righteousness;
may
your saints sing for joy."
10
For
the sake of David your servant,
do
not reject your anointed one. 9
11
The
LORD swore an oath to David,
a
sure oath that he will not revoke:
"One
of your own descendants
I
will place on your throne--
12
if
your sons keep my covenant
and
the statutes I teach them,
then
their sons will sit
on
your throne for ever and ever."
13
For
the LORD has chosen Zion,
he
has desired it for his dwelling:
14
"This
is my resting place for ever and ever;
here
I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it--
15
I
will bless her with abundant provisions;
her
poor will I satisfy with food.
16
I
will clothe her priests with salvation,
and
her saints will ever sing for joy.
17
"Here
I will make a horn C
grow for David
and
set up a lamp for my anointed one.
18
I
will clothe his enemies with shame,
PROVERBS:
12
12
1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but
he who hates correction is stupid.
2
A
good man obtains favor from the LORD,
but
the LORD condemns a crafty man.
3
A
man cannot be established through wickedness,
but
the righteous cannot be uprooted.
4
A
wife of noble character is her husband's crown,
but
a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
5
The
plans of the righteous are just,
but
the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
6
The
words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but
the speech of the upright rescues them.
7
Wicked
men are overthrown and are no more,
but
the house of the righteous stands firm.
8
A
man is praised according to his wisdom,
but
men with warped minds are despised.
9
Better
to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than
pretend to be somebody and have no food.
10
A
righteous man cares for the needs of his animal,
but
the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11
He
who works his land will have abundant food,
but
he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. 11
12
The
wicked desire the plunder of evil men,
but
the root of the righteous flourishes.
13
An
evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
but
a righteous man escapes trouble.
14
From
the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as
surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
15
The
way of a fool seems right to him,
but
a wise man listens to advice.
16A
fool shows his annoyance at once,
but
a prudent man overlooks an insult.
17
A
truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but
a false witness tells lies.
18
Reckless
words pierce like a sword,
but
the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19
Truthful
lips endure forever,
but
a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20
There
is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but
joy for those who promote peace.
21
No
harm befalls the righteous,
but
the wicked have their fill of trouble. 12
22
The
LORD detests lying lips,
but
he delights in men who are truthful.
23
A
prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but
the heart of fools blurts out folly.
24
Diligent
hands will rule,
but
laziness ends in slave labor.
25
An
anxious heart weighs a man down,
but
a kind word cheers him up.
26
A
righteous man is cautious in friendship, A
but
the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27
The
lazy man does not roast B
his game,
but
the diligent man prizes his possessions.
28
In
the way of righteousness there is life;
along
that path is immortality. 13
OLD
TESTAMENT:
2 KINGS 20:1 - 22:2
20
1
In
those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The
prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This
is what the LORD says:
Put your house in order, because you are going to die;
you will not recover."
2
Hezekiah
turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3
"Remember,
O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted
devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah
wept bitterly.
4
Before
Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5
"Go
back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people,
`This
is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says:
I
have heard your prayer and seen your tears;
I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the
temple of the LORD.
6
I
will add fifteen years to your life.
And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of
Assyria.
I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant
David.'
"
7
Then
Isaiah said, "Prepare a poultice of figs." They did so and
applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
8
Hezekiah
had asked Isaiah, "What will be the sign that the LORD will heal
me and that I will go up to the temple of the LORD on the third day
from now?"
9
Isaiah
answered, "This is the LORD's sign to you that the LORD will do
what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall
it go back ten steps?"
10
"It
is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps," said
Hezekiah. "Rather, have it go back ten steps."
11
Then
the prophet Isaiah called upon the LORD, and the LORD 14
made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the
stairway of Ahaz.
12
At
that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent
Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah's
illness. 13
Hezekiah
received the messengers and showed them all that was in his
storehouses--the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine oil--his
armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in
his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
14
Then
Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did
those men say, and where did they come from?"
"From
a distant land," Hezekiah replied. "They came from
Babylon."
15
The
prophet asked, "What did they see in your palace?"
"They
saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is
nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."
16
Then
Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear
the word of the LORD:
17
The
time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that
your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to
Babylon.
Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
18
And
some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, that will be born
to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the
palace of the king of Babylon."
15
19
"The
word of the LORD you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For
he thought, "Will there not be peace and security in my
lifetime?"
20
As
for the other events of Hezekiah's reign, all his achievements and
how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into
the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings
of Judah? 21
Hezekiah
rested with his fathers. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
21
1
Manasseh
was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2
He
did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices
of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3
He
rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also
erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of
Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped
them. 4
He
built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said,
"In
Jerusalem I will put my Name."
5
In
both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the
starry hosts. 6
He
sacrificed his own son in A
the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and
spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him
to anger.
7
He
took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of
which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In
this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out
16
of
all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever.
8
I
will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I
gave their forefathers, if only they will be careful to do everything
I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses
gave them."
9
But
the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did
more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the
Israelites.
10
The
LORD said through his servants the prophets: 11
"Manasseh
king of Judah has committed these detestable sins.
He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led
Judah into sin with his idols. 12
Therefore
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the
ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.
13
I
will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against
Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab.
I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning
it upside down.
14
I
will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to
their enemies.
They will be looted and plundered by all their foes,
15
because
they have done evil in my eyes and have provoked me to anger from the
day their forefathers came out of Egypt until this day."
16
Moreover,
Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem
from end to end--besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit,
so that they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.
17
As
for the other events of Manasseh's reign, and all he did, including
the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of 17
life?
18
Manasseh
rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace garden, the
garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.
19
Amon
was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem two years. His mother's name was Meshullemeth daughter of
Haruz; she was from Jotbah. 20
He
did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done.
21
He
walked in all the ways of his father; he worshiped the idols his
father had worshiped, and bowed down to them. 22
He
forsook the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way
of the LORD.
23
Amon's
officials conspired against him and assassinated the king in his
palace.
24
Then
the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon,
and they made Josiah his son king in his place.
25
As
for the other events of Amon's reign, and what he did, are they not
written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 26
He
was buried in his grave in the garden of Uzza. And Josiah his son
succeeded him as king.
22
1
Josiah
was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah;
she was from Bozkath. 2
He
did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways
of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 18
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 21:18 - 36
18
The
next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the
elders were present. 19
Paul
greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the
Gentiles through his ministry.
20
When
they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You
see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of
them are zealous for the law.
21
They
have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the
Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise
their children or live according to our customs. 22
What
shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23
so
do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.
24
Take
these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses,
so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know
there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself
are living in obedience to the law. 25
As
for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that
they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from
the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality."
26
The
next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then
he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of
purification would end and the offering would be made for each of
them.
27
When
the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia
saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized
him, 28
shouting,
"Men of Israel, help us! This is 19
the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law
and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple
area and defiled this holy place." 29
(They
had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and
assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
30
The
whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all
directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and
immediately the gates were shut.
31
While
they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman
troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32
He
at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd.
When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped
beating Paul.
33
The
commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with
two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34
Some
in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the
commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he
ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35
When
Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had
to be carried by the soldiers. 36
The
crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with him!" 20
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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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