Bible Reading Plan

Judges 9

Chapter 9

Abimelech's Conspiracy

¹ Now ^(C1)Abimelech the son of ^(F1)Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother's relatives, and spoke to them and to the entire family of the household of his mother's father, saying,² "Speak, now, in the hearing of all the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: for ^(C1)seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, to rule over you, or for one man to rule over you?' Also, remember that I am ^(C2)your bone and your flesh."³ So his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem; and ^(F2)they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is ^(C1)our relative."⁴ And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of ^(C1)Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.⁵ Then he went to his father's house in Ophrah and ^(C1)killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, ^(C2)seventy men, ^(F1)on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.⁶ All the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem and all ^(F2)Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the ^(F3)oak of the memorial stone which was in Shechem.

⁷ Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of ^(C1)Mount Gerizim, and raised his voice and called out. And he said to them, "Listen to me, you ^(F1)leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.⁸ "Once the trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us!'⁹ "But the olive tree said to them, 'Shall I give up my fatness with ^(F1)which God and mankind are honored, and go to wave over the trees?'¹⁰ "Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'You, come, reign over us!'¹¹ "But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I give up my sweetness and my good ^(F1)fruit, and go to wave over the trees?'¹² "Then the trees said to the vine, 'You, come, reign over us!'¹³ "But the vine said to them, 'Shall I give up my new wine, which cheers God and mankind, and go to wave over the trees?'¹⁴ "Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'You, come, reign over us!'¹⁵ "And the bramble said to the trees, 'If you ^(F1)really are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.'

¹⁶ "Now then, if you have acted with ^(F1)honesty and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with ^(C1)Jerubbaal and his house, and ^(F2)have dealt with him ^(F3)as he deserved—¹⁷ for my father fought for you, and ^(F1)risked his life and saved you from the hand of Midian;¹⁸ but in fact you have risen against my father's house today and have killed ^(C1)his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, ^(C2)the son of his female slave, king over the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—¹⁹ so if you have acted with ^(F1)honesty and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, be joyful about Abimelech, and may he also be joyful about you.²⁰ "But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and consume the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem and ^(F2)Beth-millo; and may fire come out of the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem and from ^(F2)Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech."²¹ Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer; and he stayed there because of his brother Abimelech.

Shechem and Abimelech Fall

²² Now Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.^23 (C1)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem; and the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem ^(C2)dealt treacherously with Abimelech,^24 (C1)so that the violence ^(F1)done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come, and the responsibility for ^(C2)their blood would be placed on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the ^(F2)leaders of Shechem, who ^(F3)encouraged him to kill his brothers.²⁵ The ^(F1)leaders of Shechem set up men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who would pass by them on the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.

²⁶ Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the ^(F1)leaders of Shechem trusted him.²⁷ So they went out to the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trampled them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of ^(C1)their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.²⁸ Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his governor? Serve the men of ^(C1)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?²⁹ "^(F1)(C1)If only this people were under my authority! Then I would do away with Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Enlarge your army and come out!"

³⁰ When Zebul the leader of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned.³¹ So using deception, he successfully sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are ^(F1)stirring up the city against you.³² "So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.³³ "Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and attack the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall ^(C1)do to them ^(F1)whatever you can."

³⁴ So Abimelech and all the people who were with him got up at night, and lay in wait against Shechem, in four ^(F1)units.³⁵ Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush.³⁶ When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "^(F1)Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains." But Zebul said to him, "You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were people."³⁷ And Gaal spoke yet again and said, "Look, people are coming down from ^(C1)the ^(F1)highest part of the land, and one ^(F2)unit is coming by way of ^(F3)the diviners' ^(F4)oak."³⁸ Then Zebul said to him, "Where then is your ^(F1)boasting with which you said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight them!"³⁹ So Gaal went out ^(F1)in the sight of the ^(F2)leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelech.⁴⁰ But Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate.⁴¹ Then Abimelech stayed in Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so that they could not stay in Shechem.

⁴² Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech.⁴³ So he took ^(F1)his people and divided them into three ^(F2)units, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and ^(F3)saw the people coming out from the city, he ^(F4)attacked them and killed them.⁴⁴ Then Abimelech and the ^(F1)company who was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the city gate; the other two ^(F2)companies then attacked all who were in the field and killed them.⁴⁵ Abimelech fought against the city that whole day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he ^(C1)tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶ When all the ^(F1)leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber of the ^(F2)temple of ^(C1)El-berith.⁴⁷ And it was reported to Abimelech that all the ^(F1)leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.⁴⁸ So Abimelech went up to Mount ^(C1)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took ^(F1)an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and put it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, "What you saw me do, hurry and do ^(F2)likewise."⁴⁹ So all the people also cut down, each one, his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on top of the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰ Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it.⁵¹ But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the ^(F1)leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower.⁵² So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire.⁵³ But ^(C1)a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, crushing his skull.⁵⁴ Then ^(C1)he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So ^(F1)the young man pierced him through, and he died.⁵⁵ Now when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each left for his ^(F1)home.⁵⁶ So ^(C1)God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers.⁵⁷ God also returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came ^(F1)upon them.

Job 38

Chapter 38

God Speaks Now to Job

¹ Then the LORD ^(C1)answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

² "Who is this who ^(C1)darkens the divine plan
By words without knowledge?

³ "Now ^(F1)(C1)tighten the belt on your waist like a man,
And ^(C2)I shall ask you, and you inform Me!

⁴ "Where were you ^(C1)when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you ^(F1)have understanding,

⁵ Who set its ^(C1)measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the measuring line over it?

⁶ "On what ^(C1)were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷ When the morning stars sang together
And all the ^(C1)sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ "Or who ^(C1)enclosed the sea with doors
When it went out from the womb, bursting forth;

⁹ When I made a cloud its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling bands,

¹⁰ And I ^(F1)(C1)placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,

¹¹ And I said, 'As far as this point you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop'?

God's Mighty Power

¹² "Have you ^(F1)ever in your life commanded the morning,
And made the dawn know its place,

¹³ So that it would take hold of ^(C1)the ends of the earth,
And ^(C2)the wicked would be shaken off from it?

¹⁴ "It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand out like a garment.

¹⁵ "^(C1)Their light is withheld from the wicked,
And the ^(C2)uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶ "Have you entered ^(C1)the springs of the sea,
And walked ^(F1)in the depth of the ocean?

¹⁷ "Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
And have you seen the gates of ^(C1)deep darkness?

¹⁸ "Have you understood the ^(F1)expanse of ^(C1)the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.

¹⁹ "Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,

²⁰ That you would take it to ^(C1)its territory,
And discern the paths to its ^(F1)home?

²¹ "You know, for ^(C1)you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!

²² "Have you entered the storehouses ^(C1)of the snow,
And have you seen the storehouses of the ^(C2)hail,

²³ Which I have reserved for a time of distress,
For a day of war and battle?

²⁴ "Where is the way that ^(C1)the light is divided,
And the east wind scattered on the earth?

²⁵ "Who has split open a channel for the flood,
And a way for the thunderbolt,

²⁶ To bring ^(C1)rain on a land without ^(F1)people,
On a desert without a person in it,

²⁷ To ^(C1)satisfy the waste and desolate land,
And to make the ^(F1)seeds of grass to sprout?

²⁸ "Does ^(C1)the rain have a father?
Or who has fathered the drops of dew?

²⁹ "From whose womb has come the ^(C1)ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

³⁰ "Water ^(F1)becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

³¹ "Can you tie up the chains of the ^(C1)Pleiades,
Or untie the cords of Orion?

³² "Can you bring out a ^(F1)constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her ^(F2)satellites?

³³ "Do you know the ^(C1)ordinances of the heavens,
Or do you establish their rule over the earth?

³⁴ "Can you raise your voice to the clouds,
So that an ^(C1)abundance of water will cover you?

³⁵ "Can you ^(C1)send flashes of lightning, so that they may go
And say to you, 'Here we are'?

³⁶ "Who has ^(C1)put wisdom in the innermost being,
Or given ^(C2)understanding to the ^(F1)mind?

³⁷ "Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
And ^(C1)pour out the water jars of the heavens,

³⁸ When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?

³⁹ "Can you hunt the ^(C1)prey for the lioness,
Or satisfy the appetite of young lions,

⁴⁰ When they ^(C1)crouch in their hiding places,
And lie in wait in their lair?

⁴¹ "Who prepares ^(F1)feed for ^(C1)the raven
When its young cry to God,
And wander about without food?

Acts 18

Chapter 18

Paul in Corinth

¹ After these events Paul left ^(C1)Athens and went to ^(C2)Corinth.² And he found a Jew named ^(C1)Aquila, a native of ^(C2)Pontus having recently come from ^(C3)Italy with his wife ^(C1)Priscilla, because ^(C4)Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,³ and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and ^(C1)they worked together, for they were tent-makers by trade.⁴ And Paul was reasoning ^(C1)in the synagogue every ^(C2)Sabbath and trying to persuade ^(C3)Jews and Greeks.

⁵ But when ^(C1)Silas and Timothy ^(C2)came down from ^(C3)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, ^(C4)testifying to the Jews that ^(C5)Jesus was the ^(F1)Christ.⁶ But when they resisted and blasphemed, he ^(C1)shook out his garments and said to them, "Your ^(C2)blood is ^(F1)on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go ^(C3)to the Gentiles."⁷ Then he left ^(F1)the synagogue and went to the house of a man named ^(F2)Titius Justus, ^(C1)a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.^8 (C1)Crispus, ^(C2)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord ^(C3)together with his entire household; and many of the ^(C4)Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized.⁹ And the Lord said to Paul by ^(C1)a vision at night, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city."¹¹ And he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was ^(C1)proconsul of ^(C2)Achaia, ^(C3)the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before ^(C4)the ^(F1)judgment seat,¹³ saying, "This man is inciting the people to worship God contrary to ^(C1)the ^(F1)law."¹⁴ But when Paul was about to ^(C1)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some crime or vicious, unscrupulous act, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you;¹⁵ but if there are ^(F1)(C1)questions about ^(F2)teaching and ^(F3)persons and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters."¹⁶ And he drove them away from ^(C1)the ^(F1)judgment seat.¹⁷ But they all took hold of ^(C1)Sosthenes, ^(C2)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of ^(C3)the judgment seat. And yet Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

¹⁸ Now Paul, when he had remained many days longer, ^(C1)took leave of ^(C2)the brothers and sisters and sailed away to ^(C3)Syria, and ^(C4)Priscilla and ^(C4)Aquila were with him. ^(F1)Paul first ^(C5)had his hair cut at ^(C6)Cenchrea, for he was keeping a vow.¹⁹ They came to ^(C1)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered ^(C2)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent,²¹ but ^(C1)took leave of them and said, "I will return to you again ^(C2)if God wills," and he set sail from ^(C3)Ephesus.

²² When he had landed in ^(C1)Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and went down to ^(C2)Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²⁴ Now a Jew named ^(C1)Apollos, an ^(C2)Alexandrian by birth, ^(F1)an eloquent man, came to ^(C3)Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures.²⁵ This man had been instructed in ^(C1)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with ^(C2)the baptism of John;²⁶ and ^(F1)he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when ^(C1)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained ^(C2)the way of God more accurately to him.²⁷ And when he wanted to go across to ^(C1)Achaia, ^(C2)the brothers encouraged him and wrote to ^(C3)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly ^(F1)helped those who had believed through grace,²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating ^(C1)by the Scriptures that ^(C2)Jesus was the ^(F1)Christ.