the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
April 2 - Old & New Testament
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Deuteronomy 26,27
Giving the Firstfruits
1 "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance,(a) and you take possession of it and live in it, 2 you must take some of the first of all the land's produce that you harvest from the land Yahweh your God is giving you and put it in a container. Then go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have His name dwell.(b) 3 When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, you must say to him, ‘Today I acknowledge to the Lord your[a] God that I have entered the land the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.'
4 "Then the priest will take the container from your hand and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. 5 You are to respond by saying in the presence of the Lord your God:
My father was a wandering Aramean.(c) He went down to Egypt with a few people and lived there.(d) There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated and afflicted us, and forced us to do hard labor. 7 So we called out to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression.(e) 8 Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. 9 He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.(f) 10 I have now brought the first of the land's produce that You, Lord , have given me.
You will then place the container before the Lord your God and bow down to Him. 11 You, the Levite, and the foreign resident among you will rejoice(g) in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household.
The Tenth in the Third Year
12 "When you have finished paying all the tenth of your produce in the third year,(h) the year of the tenth, you are to 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 you will say in the presence of the Lord your God:
I have taken the consecrated portion out of my house; I have also given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commands You gave me. I have not violated or forgotten Your commands. 14 I have not eaten any of it while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead.(i) I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done all You commanded me. 15 Look down from Your holy dwelling, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Covenant Summary
16 "The Lord your God is commanding you this day to follow these statutes and ordinances. You must be careful to follow them with all your heart and all your soul. 17 Today you have affirmed that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in His ways, keep His statutes, commands, and ordinances, and obey Him. 18 And today the Lord has affirmed that you are His special people as He promised you, that you are to keep all His commands, 19 that He will elevate you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations He has made, and that you will be a holy people(j) to the Lord your God as He promised."
The Law Written on Stones
1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, "Keep every command I am giving you today. 2 At the time you cross the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must set up large stones and cover them with plaster.(a) 3 Write all the words of this law on the stones after you cross to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(b) as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster. 5 Build an altar of stones there to the Lord your God—you must not use any iron tool on them.(c) 6 Use uncut stones to build the altar of the Lord your God and offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God on it. 7 There you are to sacrifice fellowship offerings, eat, and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 Write clearly all the words of this law on the plastered stones."
The Covenant Curses
9 Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, "Be silent, Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow His commands and statutes I am giving you today."
11 On that day Moses commanded the people, 12 "When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.(d) 14 The Levites will proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite:
15 ‘The person who makes a carved idol or cast image, which is detestable to the
Lord
, the work of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret is cursed.'
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen!'
16 ‘The one who dishonors his father or mother is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
17 ‘The one who moves his neighbor's boundary marker is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
18 ‘The one who leads a blind person astray on the road is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
19 ‘The one who denies justice to a foreigner, a fatherless child, or a widow is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
20 ‘The one who sleeps with his father's wife is cursed, for he has violated his father's marriage bed.'[a]
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
21 ‘The one who has sexual intercourse with any animal is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
22 ‘The one who sleeps with his sister, whether his father's daughter or his mother's daughter is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
23 ‘The one who sleeps with his mother-in-law is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
24 ‘The one who secretly kills his neighbor is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
25 ‘The one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
26 ‘Anyone who does not put the words of this law into practice is cursed.'
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
Luke 7:1-30
Chapter 7
A Centurion's Faith
1 When He had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.(a) 2 A centurion's slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue."(b) 6 Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from[a] the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, "Lord, don't trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn't even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.[b](c) 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command.[c] I say to this one, ‘Go!' and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!' and he does it."
9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, "I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!" 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
A Widow's Son Raised to Life
11 Soon afterward He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him. 12 Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow.(d) A large crowd from the city was also with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her(e) and said, "Don't cry." 14 Then He came up and touched the open coffin,[d] and the pallbearers stopped. And He said, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" (f)
15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.(g) 16 Then fear[e] came over everyone,(h) and they glorified God,(i) saying, "A great prophet has risen among us,"(j) and "God has visited[f] His people."(k) 17 This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.
In Praise of John the Baptist
18 Then John's disciples told him about all these things.(l) So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, "Are You the One(m) who is to come, or should we look for someone else?"
20 When the men reached Him, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?'"
21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases,(n) plagues, and evil spirits,(o) and He granted sight to many blind people.(p) 22 He replied to them, "Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed,[g] the deaf hear,(q) the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. (r) 23 And anyone who is not offended because of Me is blessed." 24 After John's messengers left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft robes? Look, those who are splendidly dressed[h] and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?(s) Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. 27 This is the one it is written about:
Look, I am sending My messenger
ahead of You;
[i]
he will prepare Your way before You.
(t)[j]
28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John,[k] but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God's way of righteousness,[l] because they had been baptized with John's baptism.(u) 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law(v) had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.(w))
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