Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
MAY
17
PSALMS:
17, 47, 77, 107, 137
PROVERBS:
16
OLD
TESTAMENT:
EZRA 3:1 - 4:23
NEW
TESTAMENT:
1 CORINTHIANS 2:6 - 3:4
PSALMS:
17
A
prayer of David.
1
Hear,
O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen
to my cry.
Give
ear to my prayer--
it
does not rise from deceitful lips.
2
May
my vindication come from you;
may
your eyes see what is right.
3
Though
you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though
you test me, you will find nothing;
I
have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4
As
for the deeds of men--
by
the word of your lips
I
have kept myself
from
the ways of the violent.
5
My
steps have held to your paths;
my
feet have not slipped.
6
I
call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give
ear to me and hear my prayer.
7
Show
the wonder of your great love,
you
who save by your right hand
those
who take refuge in you from their foes.
8
Keep
me as the apple of your eye;
hide
me in the shadow of your wings
9
from
the wicked who assail me,
from
my mortal enemies who surround me. 1
10
They
close up their callous hearts,
and
their mouths speak with arrogance.
11
They
have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with
eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12
They
are like a lion hungry for prey,
like
a great lion crouching in cover.
13
Rise
up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue
me from the wicked by your sword.
14
O
LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from
men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You
still the hunger of those you cherish;
their
sons have plenty,
and
they store up wealth for their children.
15
And
I--in righteousness I will see your face;
when
I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing
your
likeness. 2
PSALMS:
47
For
the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1
Clap
your hands, all you nations;
shout
to God with cries of joy.
2
How
awesome is the LORD Most High,
the
great King over all the earth!
3
He
subdued nations under us,
peoples
under our feet.
4
He
chose our inheritance for us,
the
pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah
5
God
has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the
LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6
Sing
praises to God, sing praises;
sing
praises to our King, sing praises.
7
For
God is the King of all the earth;
sing
to him a psalm A
of praise.
8
God
reigns over the nations;
God
is seated on his holy throne.
9
The
nobles of the nations assemble
as
the people of the God of Abraham,
for
the kings
B
of the earth belong to God;
he
is greatly exalted. 3
PSALMS:
77
For
the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1
I
cried out to God for help;
I
cried out to God to hear me.
2
When
I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at
night I stretched out untiring hands
and
my soul refused to be comforted.
3
I
remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
I
mused, and my spirit grew faint.
Selah
4
You
kept my eyes from closing;
I
was too troubled to speak.
5
I
thought about the former days,
the
years of long ago;
6
I
remembered my songs in the night.
My
heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7
"Will
the Lord reject forever?
Will
he never show his favor again?
8
Has
his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has
his promise failed for all time?
9
Has
God forgotten to be merciful?
Has
he in anger withheld his compassion?"
10
Then
I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the
years of the right hand of the Most High."
11
I
will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12
I
will meditate on all your works
and
consider all your mighty deeds.
13
Your
ways, O God, are holy.
What
god is so great as our God?
14
You
are the God who performs miracles;
you
display your power among the peoples.
15
With
your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the
descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
16
The
waters saw you, O God,
the
waters saw you and writhed;
the
very depths were convulsed.
17
The
clouds poured down water,
the
skies resounded with thunder;
your
arrows flashed back and forth.
18
Your
thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your
lightning lit up the world;
the
earth trembled and quaked.
19
Your
path led through the sea,
your
way through the mighty waters,
though
your footprints were not seen.
20
You
led your people like a flock
by
the hand of Moses and Aaron. 5
PSALMS:
107
1
Give
thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his
love endures forever.
2
Let
the redeemed of the LORD say this--
those
he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3
those
he gathered from the lands,
from
east and west, from north and south. A
4
Some
wandered in desert wastelands,
finding
no way to a city where they could settle.
5
They
were hungry and thirsty,
and
their lives ebbed away.
6
Then
they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he delivered them from their distress.
7
He
led them by a straight way
to
a city where they could settle.
8
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men,
9
for
he satisfies the thirsty
and
fills the hungry with good things.
10
Some
sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners
suffering in iron chains,
11
for
they had rebelled against the words of God
and
despised the counsel of the Most High.
12
So
he subjected them to bitter labor;
they
stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13
Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he saved them from their distress.
14
He
brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and
broke away their chains.
15
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men,
16
for
he breaks down gates of bronze
and
cuts through bars of iron. 6
17
Some
became fools through their rebellious ways
and
suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18
They
loathed all food
and
drew near the gates of death.
19
Then
they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he saved them from their distress.
20
He
sent forth his word and healed them;
he
rescued them from the grave.
21
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men.
22
Let
them sacrifice thank offerings
and
tell of his works with songs of joy.
23
Others
went out on the sea in ships;
they
were merchants on the mighty waters.
24
They
saw the works of the LORD,
his
wonderful deeds in the deep.
25
For
he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that
lifted high the waves.
26
They
mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in
their peril their courage melted away.
27
They
reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they
were at their wits' end.
28
Then
they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and
he brought them out of their distress.
29
He
stilled the storm to a whisper;
the
waves of the sea were hushed.
30
They
were glad when it grew calm,
and
he guided them to their desired haven.
31
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and
his wonderful deeds for men.
and
praise him in the council of the elders.
33
He
turned rivers into a desert,
flowing
springs into thirsty ground,
34
and
fruitful land into a salt waste,
because
of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35
He
turned the desert into pools of water
and
the parched ground into flowing springs;
36
there
he brought the hungry to live,
and
they founded a city where they could settle.
37
They
sowed fields and planted vineyards
that
yielded a fruitful harvest;
38
he
blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and
he did not let their herds diminish.
39
Then
their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by
oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40
he
who pours contempt on nobles
made
them wander in a trackless waste.
41
But
he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and
increased their families like flocks.
42
The
upright see and rejoice,
but
all the wicked shut their mouths.
43
Whoever
is wise, let him heed these things
and
consider the great love of the LORD. 8
PSALMS:
137
1
By
the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when
we remembered Zion.
2
There
on the poplars
we
hung our harps,
3
for
there our captors asked us for songs,
our
tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they
said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4
How
can we sing the songs of the LORD
while
in a foreign land?
5
If
I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may
my right hand forget its skill.
6
May
my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if
I do not remember you,
if
I do not consider Jerusalem
my
highest joy.
7
Remember,
O LORD, what the Edomites did
on
the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear
it down," they cried,
"tear
it down to its foundations!"
8
O
Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy
is he who repays you
for
what you have done to us--
9
he
who seizes your infants
and
dashes them against the rocks. 9
PROVERBS:
17
17
1
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than
a house full of feasting, A
with strife.
2
A
wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son,
and
will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3
The
crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but
the LORD tests the heart.
4
A
wicked man listens to evil lips;
a
liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.
5
He
who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever
gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6
Children's
children are a crown to the aged,
and
parents are the pride of their children.
7
Arrogant
B
lips are unsuited to a fool--
how
much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8
A
bribe is a charm to the one who gives it;
wherever
he turns, he succeeds.
9
He
who covers over an offense promotes love,
but
whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10
A
rebuke impresses a man of discernment
more
than a hundred lashes a fool.
11
An
evil man is bent only on rebellion;
a
merciless official will be sent against him. 10
12
Better
to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than
a fool in his folly.
13
If
a man pays back evil for good,
evil
will never leave his house.
14
Starting
a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so
drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15
Acquitting
the guilty and condemning the innocent--
the
LORD detests them both.
16
Of
what use is money in the hand of a fool,
since
he has no desire to get wisdom?
17
A
friend loves at all times,
and
a brother is born for adversity.
18
A
man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge
and
puts up security for his neighbor.
19
He
who loves a quarrel loves sin;
he
who builds a high gate invites destruction.
20
A
man of perverse heart does not prosper;
he
whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21
To
have a fool for a son brings grief;
there
is no joy for the father of a fool. 11
22
A
cheerful heart is good medicine,
but
a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23
A
wicked man accepts a bribe in secret
to
pervert the course of justice.
24
A
discerning man keeps wisdom in view,
but
a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25
A
foolish son brings grief to his father
and
bitterness to the one who bore him.
26
It
is not good to punish an innocent man,
or
to flog officials for their integrity.
27
A
man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and
a man of understanding is even-tempered.
28
Even
a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and
discerning if he holds his tongue. 12
OLD
TESTAMENT:
EZRA 3:1 - 4:23
3
1
When
the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,
the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. 2
Then
Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of
Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of
Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is
written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3
Despite
their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its
foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the
morning and evening sacrifices. 4
Then
in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of
Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed
for each day. 5
After
that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon
sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred feasts of
the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD.
6
On
the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt
offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD's temple had
not yet been laid.
7
Then
they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink
and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring
cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king
of Persia.
8
In
the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house
of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of
Jozadak and the rest of their brothers (the priests and the Levites
and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the
work, appointing Levites twenty years of age and older to supervise
the building of the house of the LORD. 9
Jeshua
and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of
Hodaviah A)
and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers--all
Levites--joined together in supervising those working on the house of
God.
10
When
the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the
priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the
sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as
prescribed by David king of Israel. 11
With
praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD:
"He
is good;
his
love to Israel endures forever."
And
all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the
foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12
But
many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen
the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this
temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13
No
one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound
of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was
heard far away. 13
4
1
When
the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building
a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2
they
came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let
us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been
sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who
brought us here."
3
But
Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of
Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple
to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel,
as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us."
4
Then
the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and
make them afraid to go on building. A
5
They
hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans
during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign
of Darius king of Persia.
6
At
the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, B
they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7
And
in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel
and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The
letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language. CD
8
Rehum
the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:
9
Rehum
the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the
rest of their associates--the judges and officials over the men from
Tripolis, Persia, E
Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 10
and
the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal F
deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in
Trans-Euphrates.
11
(This
is a copy of the letter they sent him.)
To
King Artaxerxes,
From
your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:
12
The
king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone
to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They
are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.
13
Furthermore,
the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are
restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal
revenues will suffer. 14
Now
since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for
us to see the king dishonored, we are 14
sending this message to inform the king, 15
so
that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In
these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city,
troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient
times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16
We
inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are
restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
17
The
king sent this reply:
To
Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of
their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:
Greetings.
18
The
letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19
I
issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this
city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place
of rebellion and sedition. 20
Jerusalem
has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and
taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21
Now
issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not
be rebuilt until I so order. 22
Be
careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the
detriment of the royal interests?
23
As
soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum
and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went
immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to
stop. 15
NEW
TESTAMENT:
1 CORINTHIANS 2:6 - 3:4
6
We
do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the
wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to
nothing. 7
No,
we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and
that God destined for our glory before time began. 8
None
of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9
However,
as it is written:
"No
eye has seen,
no
ear has heard,
no
mind has conceived
what
God has prepared for those who love him"
B--
10
but
God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The
Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11
For
who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit
within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except
the Spirit of God. 12
We
have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from
God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13
This
is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words
taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
C
14
The
man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15
The
spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not
subject to any man's judgment:
16
"For
who has known the mind of the Lord
that
he may instruct him?"
D
But
we have the mind of Christ.
3
1
Brothers,
I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in
Christ. 2
I
gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.
Indeed, you are still not ready. 3
You
are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among
you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4
For
when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow
Apollos," are you not mere men? 16
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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14
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15
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16
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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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