the Third Week after Easter
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
April 16 - Bible-in-a-Year
niv
Deuteronomy 25-27
Chapter 25
1 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges(a) will decide the case,(b) acquitting(c) the innocent and condemning the guilty.(d) 2 If the guilty person deserves to be beaten,(e) the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, 3 but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes.(f) If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.(g)
4 Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.(h)
5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.(i) 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.(j)
7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife,(k) she shall go to the elders at the town gate(l) and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me."(m) 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," 9 his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals,(n) spit in his face(o) and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." 10 That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.(p)
13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light.(q) 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long(r) in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.(s)
17 Remember what the Amalekites(t) did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.(u) 19 When the Lord your God gives you rest(v) from all the enemies(w) around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek(x) from under heaven. Do not forget!
Chapter 26
Firstfruits and Tithes
1 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits(a) of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(b) 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: "My father was a wandering(c) Aramean,(d) and he went down into Egypt with a few people(e) and lived there and became a great nation,(f) powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer,(g) subjecting us to harsh labor.(h) 7 Then we cried out to the Lord , the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice(i) and saw(j) our misery,(k) toil and oppression.(l) 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt(m) with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,(n) with great terror and with signs and wonders.(o) 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;(p) 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord , have given me.(q)" Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites(r) and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice(s) in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.
12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth(t) of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe,(u) you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the Lord your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.(v) 14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean,(w) nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from heaven,(x) your holy dwelling place, and bless(y) your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey."
Follow the Lord's Commands
16 The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.(z) 17 You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.(aa) 18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession(ab) as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise,(ac) fame and honor high above all the nations(ad) he has made and that you will be a people holy(ae) to the Lord your God, as he promised.
Chapter 27
The Altar on Mount Ebal
1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands(a) that I give you today. 2 When you have crossed the Jordan(b) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones(c) and coat them with plaster.(d) 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(e) just as the Lord , the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,(f) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. 5 Build there an altar(g) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool(h) on them. 6 Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings(i) there, eating them and rejoicing(j) in the presence of the Lord your God.(k) 8 And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones(l) you have set up."(m)
Curses From Mount Ebal
9 Then Moses and the Levitical(n) priests said to all Israel, "Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.(o) 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today."
11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:
12 When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim(p) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,(q) Joseph and Benjamin.(r) 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal(s) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
14 The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15 "Cursed is anyone who makes an idol(t)—a thing detestable(u) to the Lord , the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"(v)
16 "Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother."(w)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
17 "Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor's boundary stone."(x)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
18 "Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road."(y)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
19 "Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,(z) the fatherless or the widow."(aa)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
20 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's bed."(ab)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
21 "Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal."(ac)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
22 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother."(ad)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
23 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law."(ae)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
24 "Cursed is anyone who kills(af) their neighbor secretly."(ag)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
25 "Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person."(ah)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
26 "Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out."(ai)
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"(aj)
Job 16
Chapter 16
Job
1 Then Job replied:
2 "I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters,(a) all of you!(b)
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?(c)
What ails you that you keep on arguing?(d)
4 I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my head(e) at you.
5 But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort(f) from my lips would bring you relief.(g)
6 "Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away.(h)
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out;(i)
you have devastated my entire household.(j)
8 You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
my gauntness(k) rises up and testifies against me.(l)
9 God assails me and tears(m) me in his anger(n)
and gnashes his teeth at me;(o)
my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.(p)
10 People open their mouths(q) to jeer at me;(r)
they strike my cheek(s) in scorn
and unite together against me.(t)
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.(u)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
he seized me by the neck and crushed me.(v)
He has made me his target;(w)
13
his archers surround me.(x)
Without pity, he pierces(y) my kidneys
and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again(z) he bursts upon me;
he rushes at me like a warrior.(aa)
15 "I have sewed sackcloth(ab) over my skin
and buried my brow in the dust.(ac)
16 My face is red with weeping,(ad)
dark shadows ring my eyes;(ae)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(af)
and my prayer is pure.(ag)
18 "Earth, do not cover my blood;(ah)
may my cry(ai) never be laid to rest!(aj)
19 Even now my witness(ak) is in heaven;(al)
my advocate is on high.(am)
20 My intercessor(an) is my friend[a](ao)
as my eyes pour out(ap) tears(aq) to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads(ar) with God
as one pleads for a friend.
22 "Only a few years will pass
before I take the path of no return.(as)
Acts 5:17-42
Chapter 5
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party(x) of the Sadducees,(y) were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.(z) 19 But during the night an angel(aa) of the Lord opened the doors of the jail(ab) and brought them out.(ac) 20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people all about this new life."(ad)
21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates(ae) arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin(af)—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there.(ag) So they went back and reported, 23 "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests(ah) were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
25 Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people." 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people(ai) would stone them.
27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin(aj) to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,"(ak) he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."(al)
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than human beings!(am) 30 The God of our ancestors(an) raised Jesus from the dead(ao)—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.(ap) 31 God exalted him to his own right hand(aq) as Prince and Savior(ar) that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.(as) 32 We are witnesses of these things,(at) and so is the Holy Spirit,(au) whom God has given to those who obey him."
33 When they heard this, they were furious(av) and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel,(aw) a teacher of the law,(ax) who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census(ay) and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.(az) 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."(ba)
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged.(bb) Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing(bc) because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.(bd) 42 Day after day, in the temple courts(be) and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news(bf) that Jesus is the Messiah.(bg)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
