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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
May 15 - Bible-in-a-Year
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Judges 19
Chapter 19
A Levite's Concubine Raped and Killed
1 Now it came about in those days, when (C1)there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite (F1)staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.2 But his concubine (F1)found him repugnant, and she left him and went to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah, and remained there for a period of four months.3 Then her husband set out and went after her to (C1)speak (F1)gently to her in order to bring her back, (F2)taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house, and when the girl's father saw him, he was glad to meet him.4 His father-in-law, the girl's father, prevailed upon him, and he remained with him for three days. So they ate and drank and stayed there.5 Now on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he (F1)prepared to go; but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "(C1)Strengthen (F2)yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go."6 So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Please (F1)be so kind as to spend the night, and (C1)let your heart be cheerful."7 However, the man got up to go; but his father-in-law urged him, and he spent the night there again.8 Now on the fifth day he got up to go early in the morning, but the girl's father said, "Please strengthen (F1)yourself, and wait until (F2)late afternoon"; so both of them ate.9 When the man got up to go, along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl's father, said to him, "Behold now, the day has drawn (F1)to a close; please spend the night. Behold, the day is (F2)coming to an end; spend the night here so that your heart may be cheerful. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey and go (F3)home."
10 But the man was unwilling to spend the night, so he got up and left, and came to a place opposite (C1)Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And with him was a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him.11 When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and (C1)the servant said to his master, "Please come, and let's turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it."12 However, his master said to him, "We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; instead, we will go on as far as Gibeah."13 And he said to his servant, "Come, and let's approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."14 So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin.15 They turned aside there to enter and spend the night in Gibeah. When (F1)they entered, (F1)they sat down in the public square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from (C1)the hill country of Ephraim, and he was (F1)staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place (C2)were Benjaminites.17 And he raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the public square of the city; and the old man said, "Where are you going, and where do you come from?"18 And he said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to (F1)my house, and no one will take me into his house.19 "Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, and (F1)your female slave, and (C1)the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything."20 Then the old man said, "(C1)Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the public square."21 (C1)So he took him into his house and fed the donkeys, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 While they were (F1)celebrating, behold, (C1)the men of the city, certain (F2)(C2)worthless men, surrounded the house, pushing one another at the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who entered your house that we may (F3)have relations with him."23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, please do not act so wickedly. Since this man has come into my house, (C1)do not commit this vile sin.24 "(C1)Here is my virgin daughter and (F1)the man's concubine. Please let me bring them out, then rape them and do to them (F2)whatever you wish. But do not commit this act of vile sin against this man."25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her outside to them; and they (F1)raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn.26 (F1)As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man's house where her master was, until full daylight.
27 When her master got up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold.28 And he said to her, "Get up and let's go," (C1)but there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out and went to his (F1)home.29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and seized his concubine, and (C1)cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb. Then he sent her throughout the territory of Israel.30 All who saw it said, "Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, (F1)(C1)make a plan, and speak up!"
Psalms 44
Chapter 44
Former Times of Help and Present Troubles.
1 God, we have heard with our ears,
Our (C1)fathers have told us
The (C2)work that You did in their days,
In the (C3)days of old.
2 You with Your own hand (C1)drove out the nations;
Then You (C2)planted them;
You (C3)afflicted the peoples,
Then You (C4)let them go free.
3 For by their own sword they (C1)did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your (C2)arm and the (C3)light of Your presence,
For You (C4)favored them.
4 You are (C1)my King, God;
(C2)Command (F1)victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we will (C1)push back our adversaries;
Through Your name we will (C2)trample down those who rise up against us.
6 For I will (C1)not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.
7 But You (C1)have saved us from our adversaries,
And You have (C2)put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have (C1)boasted all day long,
And we will (C2)give thanks to Your name forever. Selah
9 Yet You (C1)have rejected us and brought us to (C2)dishonor,
And (C3)do not go out with our armies.
10 You cause us to (C1)turn back from the enemy;
And those who hate us (C2)have taken spoils for themselves.
11 You turn us over (F1)to be eaten like (C1)sheep,
And have (C2)scattered us among the nations.
12 You (C1)sell Your people (F1)cheaply,
And have not (F2)profited by their sale.
13 You make us an object of (C1)reproach to our neighbors,
Of scoffing and (C2)ridicule to those around us.
14 You make us (C1)a proverb among the nations,
A (F1)(C2)laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me
And (F1)I am covered with my (C1)humiliation,
16 Because of the voice of one who (C1)taunts and reviles,
Because of the presence of the (C2)enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, but we have (C1)not forgotten You,
And we have not (C2)dealt falsely with Your covenant.
18 Our heart has not (C1)turned back,
And our steps (C2)have not deviated from Your way,
19 Yet You have (C1)crushed us in a place of (C2)jackals
And covered us with (F1)(C3)deep darkness.
20 If we had (C1)forgotten the name of our God
Or extended our (F1)hands to (C2)a strange god,
21 Would God not (C1)find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22 But (C1)for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are regarded as (C2)sheep to be slaughtered.
23 (C1)Wake Yourself up, why (C2)do You sleep, Lord?
Awake, (C3)do not reject us forever.
24 Why do You (C1)hide Your face
And (C2)forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our (C1)souls have sunk down into the dust;
Our bodies cling to the earth.
26 (C1)Rise up, be our help,
And (C2)redeem us because of Your mercy.
Acts 22:30-23:22
Chapter 22
30 Now on the next day, (C1)wanting to know for certain why Paul had been accused by the Jews, he (C2)released him and ordered the chief priests and all (C3)the (F1)Council to assemble, and he brought Paul down and placed him before them.
Chapter 23
Paul before the Council
1 Now looking intently at (C1)the (F1)Council, Paul said, "(F2)(C2)Brothers, (C3)I have (F3)lived my life with an entirely good conscience before God up to this day."2 But the high priest (C1)Ananias commanded those standing beside him (C2)to strike him on the mouth.3 Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, (C1)you whitewashed wall! Do you (C2)sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law, order me to be struck?"4 But those present said, "Are you insulting God's high priest?"5 And Paul said, "I was not aware, brothers, that he is high priest; for it is written: '(C1)YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'"
6 But Paul, perceiving that one group were (C1)Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in (C2)the (F1)Council, "(F2)(C3)Brothers, (C4)I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for (C5)the hope and resurrection of the dead!"7 When he said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.8 For (C1)the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.9 And a great uproar occurred; and some of (C1)the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and started arguing heatedly, saying, "(C2)We find nothing wrong with this man; (C3)suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"10 And when a great dissension occurred, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, and he ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into (C1)the barracks.
11 But on (C1)the following night, the Lord stood near him and said, "(C2)Be courageous! For (C3)as you have (C4)testified to the truth about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome also."
A Conspiracy to Kill Paul
12 When it was day, (C1)the Jews formed a (F1)conspiracy and (C2)put themselves under an (F2)oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.13 There were more than forty who formed this plot.14 They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have (C1)put ourselves under an (F1)oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.15 "Now therefore, you (F1)and (C1)the (F2)Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly; and as for us, we are ready to kill him before he comes near the place."
16 But the son of Paul's sister heard about their ambush, (F1)and he came and entered (C1)the barracks and told Paul.17 Paul called one of the centurions to himself and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him."18 So he took him and led him to the commander and (*)said, "Paul (C1)the prisoner called me over to him and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."19 The commander took him by the hand, and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, "What is it that you have to report to me?"20 And he said, "(C1)The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to (C2)the (F1)Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.21 "So do not (F1)listen to them, for more than forty (F2)of them are (C1)in hiding to ambush him, and these men have (C2)put themselves under an oath not to eat or drink until they kill him; and now they are ready and waiting for assurance from you."22 Then the commander let the young man go, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have notified me of these things."<
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