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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
August 26 - Old & New Testament
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2 Chronicles 1,2,3
Solomon's Request for Wisdom
1 Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom.(a) The Lord his God was with him and highly exalted him.(b) 2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families.(c) 3 Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was in Gibeon(d) because God's tent of meeting, which the Lord 's servant Moses had made(e) in the wilderness, was there. 4 Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place[a] he had set up for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem,(f) 5 but he put[b] the bronze altar, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made,(g) in front of the Lord 's tabernacle. Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him[c] there. 6 Solomon offered sacrifices there in the Lord 's presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it.(h)
7 That night(i) God appeared to Solomon and said to him: "Ask. What should I give you?"
8 And Solomon said to God: "You have shown great and faithful love to my father David, and You have made me king in his place.(j) 9 Lord God, let Your promise to my father David now come true.(k) For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.(l) 10 Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people,(m) for who can judge this great people of Yours?"
11 God said to Solomon, "Since this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and glory, unlike what was given to the kings who were before you, or will be given to those after you."(n) 13 So Solomon went to Jerusalem from[d] the high place that was in Gibeon in front of the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.
Solomon's Horses and Wealth
14 Solomon(o) accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen,(p) which he stationed in the chariot cities(q) and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills. 16 Solomon's horses came from Egypt and Kue.[e] The king's traders would get them from Kue at the going price. 17 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 15 pounds[f] of silver and a horse for about four pounds.[g] In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.
Solomon's Letter to Hiram
1 [a]Solomon decided to build a temple for the name of Yahweh and a royal palace for himself,(a) 2 [b]so he assigned 70,000 men as porters, 80,000 men as stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 as supervisors over them.(b)
3 Then Solomon sent word to King Hiram[c](c) of Tyre:(d)
Do for me what you did for my father David. You sent him cedars to build him a house to live in.(e) 4 Now I am building a temple for the name of Yahweh my God in order to dedicate it to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him,(f) for displaying the rows of the bread of the Presence continuously,(g) and for sacrificing burnt offerings for the morning and the evening,(h) the Sabbaths(i) and the New Moons, and the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is ordained for Israel forever. 5 The temple that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than any of the gods.(j) 6 But who is able to build a temple for Him, since even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Him?(k) Who am I then that I should build a temple for Him except as a place to burn incense before Him? 7 Therefore, send me a craftsman who is skilled in engraving to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with the craftsmen who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem,(l) appointed by my father David.(m) 8 Also, send me cedar, cypress, and algum[d](n) logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut the trees of Lebanon. Note that my servants will be with your servants(o) 9 to prepare logs for me in abundance because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful. 10 I will give your servants, the woodcutters who cut the trees, 100,000 bushels[e] of wheat flour, 100,000 bushels[f] of barley, 110,000 gallons[g] of wine, and 110,000 gallons[h] of oil.
Hiram's Reply
11 Then King Hiram of Tyre wrote a letter[i] and sent it to Solomon:
Because the Lord loves His people, He set you over them as king.(p)
12 Hiram also said:
May the Lord God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth,(q) be praised! He gave King David a wise son with insight and understanding,(r) who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.(s) 13 I have now sent Huram-abi,[j] a skillful man who has understanding.(t) 14 He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan. His father is a man of Tyre. He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, with purple, blue, crimson yarn, and fine linen. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and to execute any design that may be given him. I have sent him to be with your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord, your father David. 15 Now, let my lord send the wheat, barley, oil, and wine to his servants as promised.(u) 16 We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and bring them to you as rafts by sea to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem.(v)
Solomon's Work Force
17 Solomon took a census of all the foreign men in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had conducted,(w) and the total was 153,600. 18 Solomon made 70,000 of them porters, 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors to make the people work.(x)
Building the Temple
1 Then Solomon began(a) to build the Lord 's temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah(b) where the Lord [a] had appeared to his father David, at the site David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan[b] the Jebusite. 2 He began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. 3 These are Solomon's foundations[c] for building God's temple: the length[d] was 90 feet,[e] and the width 30 feet.[f] 4 The portico, which was across the front extending across the width of the temple, was 30 feet[g] wide; its height was 30 feet;[h][i] he overlaid its inner surface with pure gold. 5 The larger room[j] he paneled with cypress wood, overlaid with fine gold, and decorated with palm trees and chains. 6 He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim. 7 He overlaid the temple—the beams, the thresholds, its walls and doors—with gold,(c) and he carved cherubim on the walls.(d)
The Most Holy Place
8 Then he made the most holy place; its length corresponded to the width of the temple, 30 feet,[k] and its width was 30 feet.[l](e) He overlaid it with 45,000 pounds[m] of fine gold. 9 The weight of the nails was 20 ounces[n] of gold, and he overlaid the ceiling with gold.
10 He made(f) two cherubim of sculptured work, for the most holy place, and he overlaid them with gold. 11 The overall length of the wings of the cherubim was 30 feet:[o] the wing of one was 7½ feet,[p] touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet,[q] touching the wing of the other cherub. 12 The wing of the other[r] cherub was 7½ feet,[s] touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet,[t] reaching the wing of the other cherub. 13 The wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet.[u] They stood on their feet and faced the larger room.[v]
14 He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, and he wove cherubim into it.(g)
The Bronze Pillars
15 In front of the temple(h) he made two pillars, each 27 feet[w][x] high. The capital on top of each was 7½ feet[y] high. 16 He had made chainwork in the inner sanctuary and also put it on top of the pillars.(i) He made 100 pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork. 17 Then he set up the pillars in front of the sanctuary, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin[z] and the one on the left Boaz.[aa]
1 Corinthians 16
Chapter 16
Collection for the Jerusalem Church
1 Now about the collection(a) for the saints: You should do the same as I instructed the Galatian(b) churches. 2 On the first day of the week,[a](c) each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.(d) 3 When I arrive, I will send with letters(e) those you recommend to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.(f) 4 If it is suitable for me to go as well, they can travel with me.
Paul's Travel Plans
5 I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia(g)—for I will be traveling through Macedonia— 6 and perhaps I will remain with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. 7 I don't want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.(h) 8 But I will stay in Ephesus(i) until Pentecost,(j) 9 because a wide door(k) for effective ministry has opened for me[b]—yet many oppose me. 10 If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear from you, because he is doing the Lord's work,(l) just as I am. 11 Therefore, no one should look down(m) on him. Send him on his way in peace so he can come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.[c]
12 About our brother Apollos:(n) I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity.
Final Exhortation
13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith,(o) act like a man, be strong. 14 Your every action must be done with love.(p)
15 Brothers, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits(q) of Achaia(r) and have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you 16 also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them. 17 I am pleased to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit(s) and yours. Therefore recognize(t) such people.
Conclusion
19 The churches of Asia(u) greet you.(v) Aquila and Priscilla(w) greet you warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home.(x) 20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.(y)
21 This greeting is in my own hand[d](z)—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Marana tha that is, Lord, come![e] 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.(aa) 24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
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