the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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September 3 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Chronicles 8
Chapter 8
Solomon's Later Building Projects
1 At the end of 20 years(a) during which Solomon had built the Lord 's temple and his own palace— 2 Solomon had rebuilt the cities Hiram[a] gave him and settled Israelites there— 3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and seized it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness along with all the storage cities that he built in Hamath. 5 He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon(b)—fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars(c)— 6 Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, all the chariot cities, the cavalry cities, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.
7 As for all the peoples who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not from Israel(d)— 8 their descendants who remained in the land after them, those the Israelites had not completely destroyed—Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is this way today.(e) 9 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to be slaves for his work; they were soldiers, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry. 10 These were King Solomon's deputies: 250 who ruled over the people.
11 Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh from the city of David to the house he had built for her,(f) for he said, "My wife must not live in the house[b] of David king of Israel because the places the ark of the Lord has come into are holy."
Public Worship Established at the Temple
12 At that time(g) Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord 's altar he had made in front of the portico.(h) 13 He followed the daily requirement(i) for offerings according to the commandment of Moses(j) for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths.(k) 14 According to the ordinances of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests over their service,(l) of the Levites over their responsibilities to offer praise and to minister before the priests following the daily requirement,(m) and of the gatekeepers by their divisions with respect to each gate,(n) for this had been the command of David, the man of God.(o) 15 They did not turn aside from the king's command regarding the priests and the Levites concerning any matter or concerning the treasuries.(p) 16 All of Solomon's work was carried out from the day the foundation was laid for the Lord 's temple until it was finished. So the Lord 's temple was completed.
Solomon's Fleet
17 At that time(q) Solomon went to Ezion-geber and to Eloth(r) on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18 So Hiram[c] sent ships to him by his servants along with crews of experienced seamen. They went with Solomon's servants to Ophir, took from there 17 tons[d] of gold, and delivered it to King Solomon.(s)
Psalms 73
Chapter 73
Psalm 73
God's Ways Vindicated
A psalm of Asaph.(a)
1 God is indeed good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.(b)
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.(c)
3 For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(d)
4 They have an easy time until they die,[a]
and their bodies are well fed.[b](e)
5 They are not in trouble like others;
they are not afflicted like most people.(f)
6 Therefore, pride is their necklace,
and violence covers them like a garment.(g)
7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild.(h)
8 They mock, and they speak maliciously;
they arrogantly threaten oppression.(i)
9 They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues strut across the earth.(j)
10 Therefore His people turn to them[c]
and drink in their overflowing words.[d](k)
11 The wicked say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything?"(l)
12 Look at them—the wicked!
They are always at ease,
and they increase their wealth.(m)
13 Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?(n)
14 For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.(o)
15 If I had decided to say these things aloud,
I would have betrayed Your people.[e](p)
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless[f](q)
17 until I entered God's sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny.(r)
18 Indeed, You put them in slippery places;
You make them fall into ruin.(s)
19 How suddenly they become a desolation!
They come to an end, swept away by terrors.(t)
20 Like one waking from a dream,
Lord, when arising, You will despise their image.(u)
21 When I became embittered
and my innermost being[g] was wounded,(v)
22 I was stupid and didn't understand;
I was an unthinking animal toward You.(w)
23 Yet I am always with You;
You hold my right hand.(x)
24 You guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward You will take me up in glory.[h](y)
25 Who do I have in heaven but You?
And I desire nothing on earth but You.(z)
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength[i] of my heart,
my portion forever.(aa)
27 Those far from You will certainly perish;
You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.(ab)
28 But as for me, God's presence is my good.
I have made the Lord
God
my refuge,
so I can tell about all You do.(ac)
John 10:1-21
Chapter 10
The Ideal Shepherd
1 "I assure you: Anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.(a) 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd(b) of the sheep.(c) 3 The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers."
6 Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand(d) what He was telling them.
The Good Shepherd
7 So Jesus said again, "I assure you: I am(e) the door of the sheep.(f) 8 All who came before Me[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal(g) and to kill and to destroy.(h) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
11 "I am the good shepherd.(i) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(j) 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, leaves them[b] and runs away when he sees a wolf(k) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired man and doesn't care about the sheep.
14 "I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.(l) I lay down My life(m) for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep(n) that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.(o) 17 This is why the Father loves Me,(p) because I am laying down My life(q) so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father." (r)
19 Again a division(s) took place among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, "He has a demon(t) and He's crazy! Why do you listen to Him?" 21 Others were saying, "These aren't the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"(u)
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