the Fifth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
August 3 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Kings 15-16
Chapter 15
Series of Kings: Azariah (Uzziah) over Judah
1 (C1)In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king.2 He was (C1)sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was (F1)Jecoliah of Jerusalem.3 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done.4 Only (C1)the high places were not eliminated; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.5 (C1)And the LORD afflicted the king, so that he had leprosy to the day of his death. And he (C2)lived in a separate house, (F1)while Jotham the king's son was in charge of the household, judging the people of the land.6 Now as for the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?7 And Azariah (F1)lay down with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Jotham became king in his place.
Zechariah over Israel
8 (C1)In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria for six months.9 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done; he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel.10 Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and (C1)struck him in the presence of the people and (F1)killed him, and reigned in his place.11 Now as for the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.12 This is (C1)the word of the LORD which He spoke to Jehu, saying, "Your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel." And so it was.
13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the (C1)thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned for (F1)one month in (C2)Samaria.14 Then Menahem the son of Gadi went up from (C1)Tirzah and came to Samaria, and struck Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and killed him and became king in his place.15 Now as for the rest of the acts of Shallum and his conspiracy which he formed, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.16 Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open up to him; so he attacked it and ripped up (C1)all its women who were pregnant.
Menahem over Israel
17 In the (C1)thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel and reigned for ten years in Samaria.18 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; for all his days he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel.
19 (C1)Pul, the king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a (F1)thousand talents of silver so that his hand might be with him to (C2)strengthen the (F2)kingdom (F3)under his rule.20 Then Menahem collected the money from Israel, from all the (F1)mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver to pay the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned and did not stay there in the land.21 Now as for the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?22 And Menahem (F1)lay down with his fathers, and his son Pekahiah became king in his place.
Pekahiah over Israel
23 In (C1)the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned for two years.24 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel.25 Then Pekah the son of Remaliah, his officer, conspired against him and struck him in Samaria, in (C1)the castle of the king's house with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites, and he killed him and became king in his place.26 Now as for the rest of the acts of Pekahiah and everything that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Pekah over Israel
27 In (C1)the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, (C2)Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for twenty years.28 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel.
29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, (F1)(C1)Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and (C2)he led (F2)their populations into exile to Assyria.30 And Hoshea the son of Elah formed a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck him and put him to death, and he became king in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.31 Now as for the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham over Judah
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of (F1)Uzziah king of Judah became king.33 (C1)He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.34 (C1)He did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he acted in accordance with everything that his father Uzziah had done.35 Only (C1)the high places were not eliminated; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. (C2)He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.36 Now as for the rest of the acts of Jotham which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?37 In those days (C1)the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.38 And Jotham (F1)lay down with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David; and his son Ahaz became king in his place.
Chapter 16
Ahaz Reigns over Judah
1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, (C1)Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.2 (C1)Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, (C1)and he even made his son pass through the fire, (C2)in accordance with the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had (F1)driven out before the sons of Israel.4 And he (C1)sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 Then (C1)Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for war; and they besieged Ahaz, (C2)but (F1)were not capable of fighting him.6 At that time Rezin king of Aram restored (C1)Elath to Aram, and drove the Judeans away from (F1)Elath; and the (F2)Arameans came to Elath and have lived there to this day.
Ahaz Seeks Help of Assyria
7 (C1)So Ahaz sent messengers to (C2)Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son; come up and save me from the (F1)hand of the king of Aram, and from the (F1)hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me."8 And (C1)Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent a gift to the king of Assyria.9 (C1)So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and (C2)captured it, and led the people of it into exile to (C3)Kir, and put Rezin to death.
Damascus Falls
10 Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet (C1)Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he saw the altar which was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to (C2)Urijah the priest the (F1)pattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship.11 So Urijah the priest built an altar; according to everything that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, in that way Urijah the priest made it, (F1)before the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus.12 And when the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar; then (C1)the king approached the altar and (F1)went up to it,13 and (F1)burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured out his (F2)drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar.14 And (C1)the bronze altar, which was before the LORD, (F1)he brought from the front of the house, from between (C2)his altar and the house of the LORD, and he put it on the north side of his altar.15 Then King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, "Upon the great altar (F1)burn (C1)the morning burnt offering, the evening meal offering, the king's burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their meal offering, and their (F2)drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering and all the blood of the sacrifice. But (C2)the bronze altar shall be for me, for making inquiries."16 So Urijah the priest acted in accordance with everything that King Ahaz commanded.
17 Then King Ahaz (C1)cut off the borders of the stands, and removed the wash basin from them; he also (C2)took down the (F1)Sea from the bronze oxen which were under it and put it on a pavement of stone.18 And the covered way for the Sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the LORD because of the king of Assyria.
Hezekiah Reigns over Judah
19 Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written (C1)in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?20 So (C1)Ahaz (F1)lay down with his fathers, and (C2)was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.Micah 5:2-15
Chapter 5
2 "(F1)But as for (C1)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From (C2)you One will come forth for Me to be (C3)ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are (C4)from long ago,
From the days of eternity."
3 Therefore He will (C1)give them up until the time
When she (C2)who is in labor has given birth.
Then the (C3)remainder of His kinsmen
Will return to the sons of Israel.
4 And He will arise and (C1)shepherd His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.
And they will (F1)remain,
Because (F2)at that time He will be great
To the (C2)ends of the earth.
5 This One (C1)will be our peace.
When the (C2)Assyrian invades our land,
When he tramples on our (F1)citadels,
Then we will raise against him
Seven shepherds and eight leaders of people.
6 They will (C1)shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
The land of (C2)Nimrod at its entrances;
And He will (C3)rescue us from the Assyrian
When he invades our land,
And when he tramples our territory.
7 Then the (C1)remnant of Jacob
Will be among many peoples
Like (C2)dew from the LORD,
Like (C3)showers on vegetation
That do not wait for man,
Or delay for (F1)mankind.
8 The remnant of Jacob
Will be among the nations,
Among many peoples
(C1)Like a lion among the animals of the forest,
Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
Which, if he passes through,
(C2)Tramples and (C3)tears,
And there is (C4)no one who can rescue.
9 Your hand will be (C1)lifted up against your adversaries,
And all your enemies will be eliminated.
10 "And it will be on that day," declares the LORD,
"(C1)That I will eliminate your (C2)horses from among you,
And destroy your chariots.
11 "I will also eliminate the (C1)cities of your land,
And tear down all your (C2)fortifications.
12 "I will eliminate (C1)sorceries from your hand,
And you will have no fortune-tellers.
13 "(C1)I will eliminate your carved images
And your memorial stones from among you,
So that you will no longer bow down
To the work of your hands.
14 "I will uproot your (F1)(C1)Asherim from among you,
And destroy your cities.
15 "And I will (C1)execute vengeance in anger and wrath
On the nations which have not obeyed."
2 Corinthians 2:5-3:18
Chapter 2
5 But (C1)if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—(F1)not to say too much—for all of you.6 Sufficient for such a person is (C1)this punishment which was imposed by the majority,7 so that on the other hand, you should rather (C1)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a person might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.9 For to this end (C1)I also wrote, so that I might (F1)(C2)put you to the test, whether you are (C3)obedient in all things.10 But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes (C1)in the presence of Christ,11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by (C1)Satan, for (C2)we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I came to (C1)Troas for the (C2)gospel of Christ and when a (C3)door was opened for me in the Lord,13 I (C1)had no rest for my spirit, not finding (C2)Titus my brother; but (C3)saying goodbye to them, I went on to (C4)Macedonia.
14 (C1)But thanks be to God, who always (C2)leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the (C3)fragrance of the (C4)knowledge of Him in every place.15 For we are a (C1)fragrance of Christ to God among (C2)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:16 (C1)to the one an (F1)aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is (C2)adequate for these things?17 For we are not like the many, (F1)(C1)peddling the word of God, but (C2)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ (C3)in the sight of God.
Chapter 3
Ministers of a New Covenant
1 Are we beginning to (C1)commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, (C2)letters of commendation to you or from you?2 (C1)You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people,3 revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, (F1)(C1)delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of (C2)the living God, not on (C3)tablets of stone but on (C4)tablets of (F2)(C5)human hearts.
4 Such is the (C1)confidence we have toward God through Christ.5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but (C1)our adequacy is from God,6 who also made us adequate as (C1)servants of a (C2)new covenant, not of (C3)the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but (C4)the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the (C1)ministry of death, engraved (C2)in letters on stones, came (F1)with glory (C3)so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?9 For if (C1)the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the (C2)ministry of righteousness excel in glory.10 For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it.11 For if that which fades away was (F1)with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 (C1)Therefore, having such a hope, (C2)we use great boldness in our speech,13 and we are not like Moses, (C1)who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away.14 But their minds were (C1)hardened; for until this very day at the (C2)reading of (C3)the old covenant the same veil (F1)remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts;16 (C1)but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where (C1)the Spirit of the Lord is, (C2)there is freedom.18 But we all, with unveiled faces, (C1)looking as in a mirror at the (C2)glory of the Lord, are being (C3)transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from (C4)the Lord, the Spirit.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
