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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
January 16 - Old & New Testament
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Job 20,21
Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2 "Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me (F1)respond,
Even because of my (F2)inward agitation.
3 "I listened to (C1)the reprimand which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 "Do you know this from (C1)ancient times,
From the establishment of mankind on earth,
5 That the (C1)rejoicing of the wicked is short,
And (C2)the joy of the godless momentary?
6 "Though his arrogance (F1)(C1)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He (C1)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (C2)will say, 'Where is he?'
8 "He flies away like a (C1)dream, and they cannot find him;
Like a vision of the night he is (C2)chased away.
9 "The (C1)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (C2)his place no longer beholds him.
10 "His (C1)sons (F1)favor the poor,
And his hands (C2)give back his wealth.
11 "His (C1)bones are full of his youthful strength,
But it lies down with him (F1)in the dust.
12 "Though (C1)evil tastes sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he (F1)desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it (C1)in his (F2)mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the (F1)venom of cobras within him.
15 "He swallows riches,
But will (C1)vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 "He sucks (C1)the poison of cobras;
The viper's tongue kills him.
17 "He does not look at (C1)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 "He (C1)returns the product of his labor
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 "For he has (C1)oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.
20 "Because he knew no quiet (F1)within him,
He does (C1)not retain anything he desires.
21 "Nothing remains (F1)for him to devour,
Therefore (C1)his prosperity does not endure.
22 "In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped;
The (C1)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 "When he (C1)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And (C2)rain it on him (F1)while he is eating.
24 "He may (C1)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 "It is drawn and comes out of his back,
Even the flashing point from (C1)his gallbladder;
(C2)Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete (C1)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned (C2)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 "The (C1)heavens will reveal his guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 "The (C1)increase of his house will disappear;
His possessions will flow away (C2)on the day of His anger.
29 "This is a wicked person's (C1)portion from God,
The inheritance decreed to him by God."
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
1 Then Job responded,
2 "Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your way of consolation.
3 "Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may (C1)mock me.
4 "As for me, is (C1)my complaint (F1)to a mortal?
Or (C2)why should (F2)I not be impatient?
5 "Look at me, and be astonished,
And (C1)put your hand over your mouth.
6 "Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (C1)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 "Why (C1)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very (F1)(C2)powerful?
8 "Their (F1)(C1)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (C1)are safe from fear,
And the (F1)rod of God is not on them.
10 "His ox mates (F1)without fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 "They send out their boys like the flock,
And their children dance.
12 "They (F1)sing with the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 "They (C1)spend their days in prosperity,
And (F1)suddenly they go down to (F2)Sheol.
14 "Yet they say to God, '(C1)Go away from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 '(F1)Who is (F2)the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (C1)what would we gain if we plead with Him?'
16 "Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (C1)advice of the wicked is far from me.
17 "How often is (C1)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (C2)disaster fall on them?
Does (F1)God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 "Are they as (C1)straw before the wind,
And like (C2)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 "You say, '(C1)God saves up (F1)a person's (F2)wrongdoing for his sons.'
Let (F3)God repay him so that he may know it.
20 "Let his (C1)own eyes see his destruction,
And let him (C2)drink of the wrath of (F1)the Almighty.
21 "For what does he care about his household (F1)after him,
When the number of his months is at an end?
22 "Can anyone (C1)teach God knowledge,
In that He (C2)judges those on high?
23 "One (C1)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;
24 His (F1)sides are filled with fat,
And the (C1)marrow of his bones is wet,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even (F1)tasting anything good.
26 "Together they (C1)lie down in the dust,
And (C2)maggots cover them.
27 "Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots you devise against me.
28 "For you say, 'Where is the house of (C1)the nobleman,
And where is the (C2)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?'
29 "Have you not asked travelers,
And do you not examine their (F1)evidence?
30 "For the (C1)wicked person is spared (F1)a day of disaster;
They (F2)are led away from (C2)a day of fury.
31 "Who (F1)confronts him with his actions,
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 "When he is carried to the grave,
People will keep watch over his tomb.
33 "The (C1)clods of the valley will (F1)gently cover him;
Moreover, (C2)all mankind will (F2)follow after him,
While countless others go before him.
34 "So how dare you give me empty (C1)comfort?
For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!"
Matthew 11
Chapter 11
John's Questions
1 (C1)When Jesus had finished (F1)giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there (C2)to teach and (F2)preach in their cities.
2 (C1)Now while in prison, (C2)John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples,3 and said to Him, "Are You (C1)the Coming One, or are we to (F1)look for someone else?"4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:5 (C1)those who are BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the (C2)POOR HAVE THE (F1)GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.6 "And blessed is (F1)any person who (C1)does not (F2)take offense at Me."
Jesus' Tribute to John
7 As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into (C1)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?8 "(F1)But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' (F2)palaces!9 "(F1)But what did you go out to see? (C1)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.10 "This is the one about whom it (F1)is written: '(C1)BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER (F2)AHEAD OF YOU,
WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.'
16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children,17 and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not (F1)mourn.'18 "For John came neither (C1)eating nor (C2)drinking, and they say, '(C3)He has a demon!'19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a (F1)heavy drinker, (C1)a friend of tax collectors and (F2)sinners!' And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
The Unrepenting Cities
20 Then He began to reprimand the cities in which most of His (F1)(C1)miracles were done, because they did not repent.21 "(C1)Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, (C2)Bethsaida! For if the (F1)miracles that occurred in you had occurred in (C3)Tyre and (C3)Sidon, they would have repented long ago in (F2)(C4)sackcloth and ashes.22 "Nevertheless I say to you, (C1)it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on (C2)the day of judgment than for you.23 "And you, (C1)Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be (C2)brought down to (C3)Hades! For if the (F1)miracles that occurred in you had occurred in (C4)Sodom, it would have remained to this day.24 "Nevertheless I say to you that (C1)it will be more tolerable for the land of (C2)Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you."
Come to Me
25 (F1)(C1)At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, (C2)Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that (C3)You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants.26 "Yes, (C1)Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight.27 "(C1)All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father (C2)except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.
28 "(C1)Come to Me, all (F1)who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 "Take My yoke upon you and (C1)learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and (C2)YOU WILL FIND (F1)REST FOR YOUR SOULS.30 "For (C1)My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light."
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