Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
21
PSALMS:
20, 50, 80, 110, 140
PROVERBS:
20
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 11:1 - 12:18
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 28:1 - 31
PSALMS:
21
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
O
LORD, the king rejoices in your strength.
How
great is his joy in the victories you give!
2
You
have granted him the desire of his heart
and
have not withheld the request of his lips.
Selah
3
You
welcomed him with rich blessings
and
placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4
He
asked you for life, and you gave it to him--
length
of days, for ever and ever.
5
Through
the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you
have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6
Surely
you have granted him eternal blessings
and
made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7
For
the king trusts in the LORD;
through
the unfailing love of the Most High
he
will not be shaken.
8
Your
hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your
right hand will seize your foes.
9
At
the time of your appearing
you
will make them like a fiery furnace.
In
his wrath the LORD will swallow them up,
and
his fire will consume them.
10
You
will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their
posterity from mankind.
11
Though
they plot evil against you
and
devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;
12
for
you will make them turn their backs
when
you aim at them with drawn bow. 1
13
Be
exalted, O LORD, in your strength;
we
will sing and praise your might. 2
PSALMS:
51
For
the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came
to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1
Have
mercy on me, O God,
according
to your unfailing love;
according
to your great compassion
blot
out my transgressions.
2
Wash
away all my iniquity
and
cleanse me from my sin.
3
For
I know my transgressions,
and
my sin is always before me.
4
Against
you, you only, have I sinned
and
done what is evil in your sight,
so
that you are proved right when you speak
and
justified when you judge.
5
Surely
I was sinful at birth,
sinful
from the time my mother conceived me.
6
Surely
you desire truth in the inner parts A;
you
teach B
me wisdom in the inmost place.
7
Cleanse
me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash
me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8
Let
me hear joy and gladness;
let
the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9
Hide
your face from my sins
and
blot out all my iniquity. 3
10
Create
in me a pure heart, O God,
and
renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11
Do
not cast me from your presence
or
take your Holy Spirit from me.
12
Restore
to me the joy of your salvation
and
grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13
Then
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and
sinners will turn back to you.
14
Save
me from bloodguilt, O God,
the
God who saves me,
and
my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15
O
Lord, open my lips,
and
my mouth will declare your praise.
16
You
do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you
do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17
The
sacrifices of God are C
a broken spirit;
a
broken and contrite heart,
O
God, you will not despise.
18
In
your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build
up the walls of Jerusalem.
19
Then
there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole
burnt offerings to delight you;
then
bulls will be offered on your altar. 4
PSALMS:
81
For
the director of music. According to gittith.
A
Of Asaph.
1
Sing
for joy to God our strength;
shout
aloud to the God of Jacob!
2
Begin
the music, strike the tambourine,
play
the melodious harp and lyre.
3
Sound
the ram's horn at the New Moon,
and
when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;
4
this
is a decree for Israel,
an
ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5
He
established it as a statute for Joseph
when
he went out against Egypt,
where
we heard a language we did not understand. B
6
He
says, "I
removed the burden from their shoulders;
their
hands were set free from the basket.
7
In
your distress you called and I rescued you,
I
answered you out of a thundercloud;
I
tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah
8
"Hear,
O my people, and I will warn you--
if
you would but listen to me, O Israel!
9
You
shall have no foreign god among you;
you
shall not bow down to an alien god.
10
I
am the LORD your God,
who
brought you up out of Egypt.
11
"But
my people would not listen to me;
Israel
would not submit to me.
12
So
I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to
follow their own devices.
13
"If
my people would but listen to me,
if
Israel would follow my ways,
14
how
quickly would I subdue their enemies
and
turn my hand against their foes!
15
Those
who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and
their punishment would last forever.
16
But
you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
PSALMS:
111
1
Praise
A
the LORD. B
I
will extol the LORD with all my heart
in
the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2
Great
are the works of the LORD;
they
are pondered by all who delight in them.
3
Glorious
and majestic are his deeds,
and
his righteousness endures forever.
4
He
has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the
LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5
He
provides food for those who fear him;
he
remembers his covenant forever.
6
He
has shown his people the power of his works,
giving
them the lands of other nations.
7
The
works of his hands are faithful and just;
all
his precepts are trustworthy.
8
They
are steadfast for ever and ever,
done
in faithfulness and uprightness.
9
He
provided redemption for his people;
he
ordained his covenant forever--
holy
and awesome is his name.
10
The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all
who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To
him belongs eternal praise. 7
PSALMS:
141
A
psalm of David.
1
O
LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear
my voice when I call to you.
2
May
my prayer be set before you like incense;
may
the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3
Set
a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep
watch over the door of my lips.
4
Let
not my heart be drawn to what is evil,
to
take part in wicked deeds
with
men who are evildoers;
let
me not eat of their delicacies.
5
Let
a righteous man A
strike me--it is a kindness;
let
him rebuke me--it is oil on my head.
My
head will not refuse it.
Yet
my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;
6
their
rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
and
the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7
They
will say, "As one plows and breaks up the earth,
so
our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave. B"
8
But
my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD;
in
you I take refuge--do not give me over to death.
9
Keep
me from the snares they have laid for me,
from
the traps set by evildoers.
10
Let
the wicked fall into their own nets,
while
I pass by in safety. 8
PROVERBS:
21
21
1
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he
directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
2
All
a man's ways seem right to him,
but
the LORD weighs the heart.
3
To
do what is right and just
is
more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4
Haughty
eyes and a proud heart,
the
lamp of the wicked, are sin!
5
The
plans of the diligent lead to profit
as
surely as haste leads to poverty.
6
A
fortune made by a lying tongue
is
a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. A
7
The
violence of the wicked will drag them away,
for
they refuse to do what is right.
8
The
way of the guilty is devious,
but
the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9
Better
to live on a corner of the roof
than
share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10
The
wicked man craves evil;
his
neighbor gets no mercy from him. 9
11
When
a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
when
a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.
12
The
Righteous One B
takes note of the house of the wicked
and
brings the wicked to ruin.
13
If
a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he
too will cry out and not be answered.
14
A
gift given in secret soothes anger,
and
a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15
When
justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but
terror to evildoers.
16
A
man who strays from the path of understanding
comes
to rest in the company of the dead.
17
He
who loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever
loves wine and oil will never be rich.
18
The
wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and
the unfaithful for the upright.
19
Better
to live in a desert
than
with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
20
In
the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,
but
a foolish man devours all he has.
21
He
who pursues righteousness and love
22
A
wise man attacks the city of the mighty
and
pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
23
He
who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps
himself from calamity.
24
The
proud and arrogant man--"Mocker" is his name;
he
behaves with overweening pride.
25
The
sluggard's craving will be the death of him,
because
his hands refuse to work.
26
All
day long he craves for more,
but
the righteous give without sparing.
27
The
sacrifice of the wicked is detestable--
how
much more so when brought with evil intent!
28
A
false witness will perish,
and
whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever. D
29
A
wicked man puts up a bold front,
but
an upright man gives thought to his ways.
30
There
is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that
can succeed against the LORD.
31
The
horse is made ready for the day of battle,
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 11:1 - 12:18
11
1
All
Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, "We are your
own flesh and blood. 2
In
the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel
on their military campaigns. And the LORD your God said to you, `You
will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.'"
3
When
all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a
compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David
king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel.
4
David
and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The
Jebusites who lived there 5
said
to David, "You will not get in here." Nevertheless, David
captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.
6
David
had said, "Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become
commander-in-chief." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so
he received the command.
7
David
then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City
of David.
8
He
built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces A
to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. 9
And
David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was
with him.
10
These
were the chiefs of David's mighty men--they, together with all
Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole
land, as the LORD had promised—
11
this
is the list of David's mighty men: 12
Jashobeam, B
a Hacmonite, was chief of the officers C;
he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one
encounter.
12
Next
to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty
men.
13
He
was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for
battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops
fled from the Philistines.
14
But
they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it
and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great
victory.
15
Three
of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of
Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of
Rephaim. 16
At
that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison
was at Bethlehem.
17
David
longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a
drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" 18
So
the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the
well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he
refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 19
"God
forbid that I should do this!" he said. "Should I drink the
blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" Because
they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.
Such
were the exploits of the three mighty men.
20
Abishai
the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear
against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous
as the Three. 21
He
was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even
though he was not 13
included among them.
22
Benaiah
son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed
great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went
down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23
And
he struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet D
tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod in his
hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear
from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 24
Such
were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as
the three mighty men. 25
He
was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not
included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his
bodyguard.
26
The
mighty men were:
Asahel
the brother of Joab,
Elhanan
son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
27
Shammoth
the Harorite,
Helez
the Pelonite,
28
Ira
son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
Abiezer
from Anathoth,
29
Sibbecai
the Hushathite,
Ilai
the Ahohite,
30
Maharai
the Netophathite,
Heled
son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31
Ithai
son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
Benaiah
the Pirathonite, 14
32
Hurai
from the ravines of Gaash,
Abiel
the Arbathite,
33
Azmaveth
the Baharumite,
Eliahba
the Shaalbonite,
34
the
sons of Hashem the Gizonite,
Jonathan
son of Shagee the Hararite,
35
Ahiam
son of Sacar the Hararite,
Eliphal
son of Ur,
36
Hepher
the Mekerathite,
Ahijah
the Pelonite,
37
Hezro
the Carmelite,
Naarai
son of Ezbai,
38
Joel
the brother of Nathan,
Mibhar
son of Hagri,
39
Zelek
the Ammonite,
Naharai
the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
40
Ira
the Ithrite,
Gareb
the Ithrite,
41
Uriah
the Hittite,
Zabad
son of Ahlai,
42
Adina
son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the
thirty with him,
43
Hanan
son of Maacah,
Joshaphat
the Mithnite,
44
Uzzia
the Ashterathite,
Shama
and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 15
45
Jediael
son of Shimri,
his
brother Joha the Tizite,
46
Eliel
the Mahavite,
Jeribai
and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,
Ithmah
the Moabite,
47
Eliel,
Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
12
1
These
were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from
the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who
helped him in battle;
2
they
were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones
right-handed or left-handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe
of Benjamin):
3
Ahiezer
their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and
Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4
and
Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty, who was a
leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the
Gederathite, 5
Eluzai,
Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6
Elkanah,
Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7
and
Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor. 16
8
Some
Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were
brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and
spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as
gazelles in the mountains.
9
Ezer
was the chief,
Obadiah
the second in command, Eliab the third,
10
Mishmannah
the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11
Attai
the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12
Johanan
the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13
Jeremiah
the tenth and Macbannai the eleventh.
14
These
Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,
and the greatest for a thousand. 15
It
was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was
overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in
the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16
Other
Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his
stronghold.
17
David
went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me
in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if
you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from
violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."
18
Then
the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:
We
are with you, O son of Jesse!
Success,
success to you,
and
success to those who help you,
for
your God will help you."
So
David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands. 18
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ACTS 28:1 - 31
28
1
Once
safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2
The
islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed
us all because it was raining and cold. 3
Paul
gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper,
driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4
When
the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each
other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from
the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5
But
Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6
The
people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after
waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they
changed their minds and said he was a god.
7
There
was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of
the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained
us hospitably. 8
His
father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went
in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed
him. 9
When
this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were
cured. 10
They
honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they
furnished us with the supplies we needed.
11
After
three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the
island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin
gods Castor and Pollux. 12
We
put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13
From
there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind
came up, and on 19
the following day we reached Puteoli. 14
There
we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And
so we came to Rome. 15
The
brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as
far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the
sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16
When
we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier
to guard him.
17
Three
days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had
assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done
nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I
was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18
They
examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any
crime deserving death. 19
But
when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--not that
I had any charge to bring against my own people. 20
For
this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because
of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."
21
They
replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning
you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported
or said anything bad about you. 22
But
we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people
everywhere are talking against this sect."
23
They
arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger
numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening
he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and 20
tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the
Prophets. 24
Some
were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25
They
disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made
this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your
forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26"`Go
to this people and say,
"You
will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you
will be ever seeing but never perceiving."
27
For
this people's heart has become calloused;
they
hardly hear with their ears,
and
they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise
they might see with their eyes,
hear
with their ears,
understand
with their hearts
and
turn, and I would heal them.'
A
28
"Therefore
I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the
Gentiles, and they will listen!"
B
30
For
two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and
welcomed all who came to see him. 31
Boldly
and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about
the Lord Jesus Christ. 21
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3 Excerpted
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4 Excerpted
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5 Excerpted
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6 Excerpted
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7 Excerpted
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8 Excerpted
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9 Excerpted
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10 Excerpted
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11 Excerpted
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12
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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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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