the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Daily Bible Reading
September 3 - Old & New Testament
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2 Chronicles 21
Chapter 21
Jehoram Becomes King Over Judah
1 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram[a] became king in his place.(a) 2 He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.[b] 3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified cities(b) in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. 4 When Jehoram had established himself over his father's kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.
Judah's King Jehoram
5 Jehoram(c) was 32 years old when he became king and reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done,(d) for Ahab's daughter was his wife.(e) He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight, 7 but because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, He was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the Lord had promised(f) to give a lamp(g) to David and to his sons forever.
8 During Jehoram's reign, Edom rebelled against Judah's domination and appointed their own king. 9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders. 10 And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah's domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors. 11 Jehoram also built high places(h) in the hills[c] of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves,(i) and he led Judah astray.
Elijah's Letter to Jehoram
12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying:
This is what Yahweh, the God of your ancestor David says: "Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat(j) or in the ways of Asa king of Judah(k) 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel,(l) have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab(m) prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers,(n) your father's family, who were better than you, 14 Yahweh is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction. 15 You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease."(o)
Jehoram's Last Days
16 The Lord put it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabs(p) who live near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.(q) 17 So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king's palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz,[d](r) his youngest son.
18 After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19 This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe[e] illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers.(s)
20 Jehoram(t) was 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one's regret[f](u) and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.(v)
Obadiah 1
Chapter 1
The vision of Obadiah.
Edom's Certain Judgment
This is what the Lord God has said about Edom:(a)
We have heard a message from the
Lord
;(b)
a messenger has been sent(c) among the nations:
"Rise up,(d) and let us go to war against her."[a]
2 Look, I will make you insignificant(e)
among the nations;
you will be deeply despised.
3 Your presumptuous heart has deceived you,(f)
you who live in clefts of the rock[b][c](g)
in your home on the heights,
who say to yourself,
"Who can bring me down to the ground?"(h)
4 Though you seem to soar[d] like an eagle(i)
and make your nest among the stars,(j)
even from there I will bring you down.
This is the
Lord
's declaration.
5 If thieves came to you,(k)
if marauders by night—
how ravaged you would be!—
wouldn't they steal only what they wanted?
If grape pickers came to you,
wouldn't they leave some grapes?(l)
6 How Esau will be pillaged,(m)
his hidden treasures searched out!(n)
7 Everyone who has a treaty with you(o)
will drive you to the border;
everyone at peace with you
will deceive and conquer you.
Those who eat your bread(p)
will set[e] a trap for you.
He will be unaware of it.(q)
8 In that day—
this is the
Lord
's declaration—
will I not eliminate the wise ones of Edom(r)
and those who understand
from the hill country of Esau?
9 Teman,[f](s) your warriors(t) will be terrified
so that everyone from the hill country of Esau
will be destroyed by slaughter.(u)
Edom's Sins against Judah
10 You will be covered with shame
and destroyed forever
because of violence done to your brother Jacob.(v)
11 On the day you stood aloof,(w)
on the day strangers captured his wealth,[g]
while foreigners entered his gate
and cast lots for Jerusalem,(x)
you were just like one of them.(y)
12 Do not[h] gloat over your brother(z)
in the day of his calamity;
do not rejoice over the people of Judah(aa)
in the day of their destruction;
do not boastfully mock[i](ab)
in the day of distress.(ac)
13 Do not enter the gate of My people
in the day of their disaster.(ad)
Yes, you—do not gloat over their misery
in the day of their disaster
and do not appropriate their possessions(ae)
in the day of their disaster.
14 Do not stand at the crossroads[j](af)
to cut off their fugitives,
and do not hand over their survivors
in the day of distress.
Judgment of the Nations
15 For the Day of the
Lord
(ag) is near,
against all the nations.(ah)
As you have done,(ai) so it will be done to you;
what you deserve will return on your own head.(aj)
16 As you have drunk on My holy mountain,(ak)
so all the nations will drink continually.(al)
They will drink and gulp down
and be as though they had never been.
17 But there will be a deliverance on Mount Zion,(am)
and it will be holy;(an)
the house of Jacob will dispossess(ao)
those who dispossessed them.[k](ap)
18 Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire,(aq)
and the house of Joseph, a burning flame,
but the house of Esau will be stubble;
Jacob[l] will set them on fire and consume Edom.[m]
Therefore no survivor will remain(ar)
of the house of Esau,
for the
Lord
has spoken.
Future Blessing for Israel
19 People from the Negev will possess(as)
the hill country of Esau;(at)
those from the Judean foothills will possess
the land of the Philistines.(au)
They[n] will possess
the territories of Ephraim and Samaria,(av)
while Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20 The exiles of the Israelites who are in Halah[o]
and who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath(aw)
as well as the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
will possess the cities of the Negev.(ax)
21 Saviors[p] will ascend Mount Zion(ay)
to rule over the hill country of Esau,
but the kingdom will be the
Lord
's.(az)
2 Corinthians 8
Chapter 8
Appeal to Complete the Collection
1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches(a) of Macedonia:(b) 2 During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity.(c) 3 I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, 4 they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing(d) in the ministry to the saints, 5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God's will.(e) 6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you. 7 Now as you excel in everything—faith, speech, knowledge,(f) and in all diligence, and in your love for us[a]—excel also in this grace.
8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich,(g) for your sake He became poor,(h) so that by His poverty you might become rich. 10 Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it.[b](i) 11 But now finish the task[c] as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have. 12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.(j) 13 It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality[d]— 14 at the present time your surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be equality. 15 As it has been written:
The person who gathered much
did not have too much,
and the person who gathered little
did not have too little.
(k)[e]
Administration of the Collection
16 Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. 18 We have sent with him the brother(l) who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry.[f] 19 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gift[g] that is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us. 21 For we are making provision(m) for what is right,(n) not only before the Lord but also before men. 22 We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent—and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner(o) and coworker(p) serving you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers(q) of the churches, the glory of Christ.(r) 24 Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting(s) about you.
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