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August 23 - Bible-in-a-Year
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1 Chronicles 20:1-22:1
Chapter 20
Capture of the City of Rabbah
1 In the spring[a] when kings march out to war,(a) Joab led the army and destroyed the Ammonites' land. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem.(b) Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. 2 Then David took the crown from the head of their king,[b][c](c) and it was placed on David's head. He found that the crown weighed 75 pounds[d] of gold, and there was a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city. 3 He brought out the people who were in it and put them to work with saws,[e] iron picks, and axes.[f](d) David did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
The Philistine Giants
4 After this,(e) a war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the giants,[g] and the Philistines were subdued.
5 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam.(f)
6 There was still another battle at Gath where there was a man of extraordinary stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.[h] 7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of David's brother Shimei killed him.
8 These were the descendants of the giant[i] in Gath killed by David and his soldiers.
Chapter 21
David's Military Census
1 Satan[a](a) stood up against Israel and incited David(b) to count the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring a report to me so I can know their number."(c)
3 Joab replied, "May the Lord multiply the number of His people a hundred times over!(d) My lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"
4 Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem. 5 Joab gave the total troop registration to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 swordsmen and in Judah itself 470,000 swordsmen. 6 But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king's command was detestable to him. 7 This command was also evil in God's sight, so He afflicted Israel.
8 David said to God, "I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing. Now, please take away Your servant's guilt, for I've been very foolish."(e)
David's Punishment
9 Then(f) the Lord instructed Gad,(g) David's seer,(h) 10 "Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you.'"
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: 12 three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord —a plague on the land, the angel of the Lord bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I should take back to the One who sent me."
13 David answered Gad, "I'm in anguish. Please, let me fall into the Lord 's hands because His mercies are very great,(i) but don't let me fall into human hands."
14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died. 15 Then God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but when the angel was about to destroy the city,[b] the Lord looked, relented concerning the destruction,(j) and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough, withdraw your hand now!" The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Ornan[c] the Jebusite.
16 When David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth,(k) fell down with their faces to the ground. 17 David said to God, "Wasn't I the one who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? My Lord God, please let Your hand be against me and against my father's family, but don't let the plague be against Your people."
David's Altar
18 So the angel of the Lord ordered Gad(l) to tell David to go and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.(m) 19 David went up at Gad's command spoken in the name of the Lord .
20 Ornan was threshing wheat when he turned and saw the angel. His four sons, who were with him, hid themselves. 21 David came to Ornan, and when Ornan looked and saw David, he left the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground.
22 Then David said to Ornan, "Give me this threshing-floor plot so that I may build an altar to the Lord on it. Give it to me for the full price, so the plague on the people may be stopped."
23 Ornan said to David, "Take it! My lord the king may do whatever he wants.[d] See, I give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering—I give it all."
24 King David answered Ornan, "No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the Lord what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
25 So David gave Ornan 15 pounds of gold[e] for the plot. 26 He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord , and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.(n)
27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, David offered sacrifices there when he saw that the Lord answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord , which Moses made in the desert, and the altar of burnt offering were at the high place in Gibeon,(o) 30 but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was terrified of the sword of the Lord 's angel.
Chapter 22
1 1 Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."(a)
Zechariah 8
Chapter 8
Obedience and Feasting
1 The word of the Lord of Hosts came: 2 "The Lord of Hosts says this: I am extremely jealous(a) for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath." 3 The Lord says this: "I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,(b) the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, and the Holy Mountain." 4 The Lord of Hosts says this: "Old men and women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of advanced age. 5 The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in them." 6 The Lord of Hosts says this: "Though it may seem incredible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem incredible to Me?"—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. 7 The Lord of Hosts says this: "I will save My people from the land of the east and the land of the west. 8 I will bring them back(c) to live in Jerusalem. They will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God."(d)
9 The Lord of Hosts says this: "Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words that the prophets spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of Hosts. 10 For prior to those days neither man nor beast had wages. There was no safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I turned everyone against his neighbor. 11 But now, I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days"—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. 12 "For they will sow in peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the skies will yield their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance.(e) 13 As you have been a curse among the nations,(f) house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing.(g) Don't be afraid; let your hands be strong." 14 For the Lord of Hosts says this: "As I resolved to treat you badly when your fathers provoked Me to anger, and I did not relent," says the Lord of Hosts, 15 "so I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah.(h) Don't be afraid. 16 These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your gates. 17 Do not plot evil(i) in your hearts against your neighbor,(j) and do not love perjury,(k) for I hate all this"—this is the Lord 's declaration.
18 Then the word of the Lord of Hosts came to me: 19 "The Lord of Hosts says this: The fast of the fourth month,(l) the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth(m) will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace." 20 The Lord of Hosts says this: "Peoples will yet come, the residents of many cities; 21 the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let's go at once to plead for the Lord 's favor and to seek the Lord of Hosts. I am also going. 22 Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead for the Lord 's favor."(n) 23 The Lord of Hosts says this: "In those days, 10 men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you,(o) for we have heard that God is with you."
John 5:19-47
Chapter 5
19 Then Jesus replied, "I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father[f] does, the Son also does these things in the same way.(p) 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works(q) than these so that you will be amazed. 21 And just as the Father raises(r) the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to anyone He wants to.(s) 22 The Father,(t) in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father.(u) Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. (v)
Life and Judgment
24 "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life(w) and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
25 "I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here,(x) when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.(y) 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son(z) to have life in Himself. 27 And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment,(aa) because He is the Son of Man.(ab) 28 Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.
30 "I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment(ac) is righteous,(ad) because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (ae)
Four Witnesses to Jesus
31 "If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid.[g] 32 There is Another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony He gives about Me is valid. [h](af) 33 You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth.(ag) 34 I don't receive man's testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 John [i](ah) was a burning and shining lamp,(ai) and for a time you were willing to enjoy his light. (aj)
36 "But I have a greater testimony than John's because of the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish.(ak) These very works I am doing testify about Me that the Father has sent(al) Me. 37 The Father who sent Me has Himself testified(am) about Me. You have not heard His voice at any time, and you haven't seen His form.(an) 38 You don't have His word living in you, because you don't believe the One He sent. 39 You pore over[j] the Scriptures(ao) because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me.(ap) 40 And you are not willing(aq) to come to Me(ar) so that you may have life.
41 "I do not accept glory(as) from men, 42 but I know you—that you have no love for God(at) within you. 43 I have come in My Father's name,(au) yet you don't accept Me.(av) If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don't seek the glory that comes from the only(aw) God.(ax) 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses,(ay) on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. 47 But if you don't believe his writings,(az) how will you believe My words?" (ba)
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