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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
July 22 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Kings 1-2
Chapter 1
Ahaziah's Messengers Meet Elijah
1 Now (C1)Moab broke with Israel after the death of Ahab.2 And Ahaziah fell through the window lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, "Go, (C1)inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, (C2)whether I will recover from this sickness."3 But the angel of the LORD said to (C1)Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of (C2)Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?'4 "Now therefore, this is what the LORD says: '(F1)(C1)You will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.'" Then Elijah departed.
5 When the messengers returned to (F1)Ahaziah, he said to them, "(F2)Why have you returned?"6 They said to him, "A man came up to meet us and said to us, 'Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers (C1)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore (F1)you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.'"'"7 Then he said to them, "What (F1)did the man look like, who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?"8 And they said to him, "(C1)He was a hairy man with a leather (F1)belt worn around his waist." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
9 Then the king (C1)sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "You man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"10 But Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, (C1)may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." (C2)Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
11 So the king again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he said to him, "You man of God, this is what the king says: 'Come down quickly!'"12 But Elijah replied to them, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
13 So the king (C1)again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty men. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, "You man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.14 "Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my (F1)life be precious in your sight."15 And (C1)the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; (C2)do not be afraid of him." So he got up and went down with him to the king.16 Then he said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Since you have sent messengers (C1)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore (F1)you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.'"
Jehoram Reigns over Israel
17 So Ahaziah died in accordance with the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place (C1)in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.18 Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Chapter 2
Elijah Taken to Heaven
1 Now it came about, when the LORD was about to (C1)bring Elijah up by a (F1)whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (C2)Gilgal with (C3)Elisha.2 And Elijah said to Elisha, "(C1)Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as (C2)Bethel." But Elisha said, "(C3)As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.3 Then (C1)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, "Are you aware that the LORD will take away your master from over (F1)you today?" And he said, "Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it."
4 And Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please (C1)stay here, for the LORD has sent me to (C2)Jericho." But he said, "(C1)As surely as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.5 Then (C1)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, "(C2)Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over (F1)you today?" And he (F2)answered, "Yes, I know; say nothing about it."6 And Elijah said to him, "Please (C1)stay here, for the LORD has sent me to (C2)the Jordan." But he said, "As surely as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.
7 Now (C1)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.8 And Elijah (C1)took his coat, folded it, and (C2)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let a (C1)double portion of your spirit be upon me."10 He said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (C1)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (C1)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a (F1)whirlwind to heaven.12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, "(C1)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" And he did not see (F1)Elijah again. Then (C2)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had (C1)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15 Now when (C1)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.16 Then they said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case (C1)the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." But he said, "You shall not send anyone."17 Yet when (C1)they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, "Send them." So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him.18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go'?"
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land (F1)is unfruitful."20 And he said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt (F1)in it." So they brought it to him.21 Then he went out to the spring of water and (C1)threw salt (F1)in it and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have (F2)purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or (F3)unfruitfulness any longer.'"22 So the waters have been (F1)purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and (C1)ridiculed him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he (C1)cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two (F1)of the boys.25 He then went on from there to (C1)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Amos 7
Chapter 7
Warning through Visions
1 This is what the Lord (F1)GOD showed me, and behold, He was forming a (C1)swarm of locusts (F2)when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king's mowing.2 And it came about, (F1)when it had (C1)finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said, "(C2)Lord GOD, please pardon!
How can Jacob stand?
For he is (C3)small."
3 The LORD (C1)relented of this.
"It shall not be," said the LORD.
4 So the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by (C1)fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the (F1)farmland.5 Then I said, "(C1)Lord GOD, please stop!
(C2)How can Jacob stand?
For he is small."
6 The LORD (C1)relented of this.
"This too shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
7 So He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing (F1)by a (F2)vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand.8 And the LORD said to me, "(C1)What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a (C2)plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel.
I will not (F1)(C3)spare them any longer.
9 "The (C1)high places of Isaac will become deserted,
And the (C2)sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins.
Then I will (C3)rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
Amos Accused; Gives an Answer
10 Then Amaziah, the (C1)priest of Bethel, sent word to (C2)Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has (C3)conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words.11 "For this is what Amos says: 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.'"12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, "(C1)Go, you seer, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and do your prophesying there!13 "But (C1)do not prophesy at Bethel any longer, for it is a (C2)sanctuary of the king and a royal (F1)residence."
14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, "I am not a prophet, nor am I the (C1)son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a (F1)grower of sycamore figs.15 "But the LORD took me from (F1)following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go (C1)prophesy to My people Israel.'16 "So now hear the word of the LORD: you are saying, 'You (C1)shall not prophesy against Israel (C2)nor shall you (F1)prophesy against the house of Isaac.'17 "Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'Your (C1)wife will become a prostitute in the city, your (C2)sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die (F1)upon (C3)unclean soil. Furthermore Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.'"
1 Corinthians 9
Chapter 9
Paul's Use of Freedom
1 Am I not (C1)free? Am I not an (C2)apostle? Have I not (C3)seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not (C4)my work in the Lord?2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the (C1)seal of my (C2)apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:4 (F1)(C1)Do we not have a right to eat and drink?5 (F1)(C1)Do we not have a right to take along a (F2)believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the (C2)brothers of the Lord, and (F3)(C3)Cephas?6 Or do only (F1)(C1)Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from (F2)working?7 Who at any time serves (C1)as a soldier at his own expense? Who (C2)plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not (F1)consume some of the milk of the flock?
8 I am not just asserting these things (C1)according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well?9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "(C1)YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE IT IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about (C2)oxen, is He?10 Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written (C1)for our sake, because (C2)the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops.11 (C1)If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we (C1)did not use this right, but we endure all things (C2)so that we will cause no hindrance to the (C3)gospel of Christ.13 (C1)Do you not know that those who (C2)perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share (F1)from the altar?14 So also (C1)the Lord directed those who proclaim the (C2)gospel to (C3)get their living from the gospel.
15 But I have (C1)used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make (C2)my boast an empty one!16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for (C1)I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach (C2)the gospel.17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a (C1)reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a (C2)commission nonetheless.18 What, then, is my (C1)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel (C2)without charge, so as (C3)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19 For though I am (C1)free from all people, I have made myself (C2)a slave to all, so that I may (C3)gain more.20 (C1)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though (C2)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law;21 to those who are (C1)without the Law, I became (C2)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but (C3)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law.22 To the (C1)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become (C2)all things to all people, (C3)so that I may by all means save some.23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
24 (C1)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives (C2)the prize? (C3)Run in such a way that you may win.25 Everyone who (C1)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable (C2)wreath, but we an imperishable.26 Therefore I (C1)run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as (F1)to avoid (C2)hitting air;27 but I strictly discipline (C1)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
