the First Week of Advent
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
September 8 - Old & New Testament
csb
Isaiah 3,4
Judah's Leaders Judged
1 Observe this: The Lord
God
of Hosts
is about to remove from Jerusalem and from Judah
every kind of security:
the entire supply of bread and water,
2 the hero and warrior,(a)
the judge and prophet,
the fortune-teller and elder,
3 the commander of 50 and the dignitary,
the counselor, cunning magician,[a] and necromancer.[b]
4 "I will make youths their leaders,(b)
and the unstable[c] will govern them."
5 The people will oppress one another,(c)
man against man, neighbor against neighbor;
the youth will act arrogantly toward the elder,
and the worthless toward the honorable.
6 A man will even seize his brother
in his father's house, saying:
"You have a cloak—you be our leader!
This heap of rubble will be under your control."
7 On that day he will cry out, saying:
"I'm not a healer.
I don't even have food or clothing in my house.
Don't make me the leader of the people!"
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen
because they have spoken and acted against the
Lord
,(d)
defying His glorious presence.(e)
9 The look on their faces testifies against them,
and like Sodom,(f) they flaunt their sin.
They do not conceal it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought evil on themselves.(g)
10 Tell the righteous that it will go well for them,
for they will eat the fruit of their labor.
11 Woe to the wicked—it will go badly for them,
for what they have done will be done to them.
12 Youths oppress My people,(h)
and women rule over them.
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they confuse the direction of your paths.(i)
13 The
Lord
rises to argue the case
and stands to judge the people.(j)
14 The
Lord
brings this charge
against the elders and leaders of His people:(k)
"You have devastated the vineyard.
The plunder from the poor is in your houses.(l)
15 Why do you crush My people
and grind the faces of the poor?"
This is the declaration
of the Lord
God
of Hosts.
Jerusalem's Women Judged
16 The Lord also says:
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,(m)
walking with heads held high
and seductive eyes,
going along with prancing steps,
jingling their ankle bracelets,
17 the Lord will put scabs on the heads
of the daughters of Zion,
and the
Lord
will shave their foreheads bare.
18 On that day(n) the Lord will strip their finery: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescents,(o) 19 pendants, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle jewelry, sashes, perfume bottles, amulets,(p) 21 signet rings, nose rings,(q) 22 festive robes, capes, cloaks, purses, 23 garments, linen clothes, turbans, and veils.
24 Instead of perfume there will be a stench;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of beautifully styled hair,(r) baldness;(s)
instead of fine clothes, sackcloth;(t)
instead of beauty, branding.[d]
25 Your men will fall by the sword,
your warriors in battle.
26 Then her gates(u) will lament and mourn;
deserted, she will sit on the ground.(v)
1 On that day seven women
will seize one man,(a) saying,
"We will eat our own bread
and provide our own clothing.
Just let us be called by your name.
Take away our disgrace."(b)
Zion's Future Glory
2 On that day the Branch of[a] the Lord will be beautiful and glorious,(c) and the fruit of the land(d) will be the pride and glory(e) of Israel's survivors.(f) 3 Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem(g) will be called holy(h)—all in Jerusalem who are destined to live(i)— 4 when the Lord has washed away the filth(j) of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodguilt(k) from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment(l) and a spirit of burning.(m) 5 Then the Lord will create(n) a cloud of smoke by day(o) and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory,[b] 6 and there will be a booth for shade from heat by day, and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain.(p)
2 Corinthians 12
Chapter 12
Sufficient Grace
1 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions(a) and revelations(b) of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who was caught up(c) into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know, God knows. 3 I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don't know, God knows— 4 was caught up into paradise.(d) He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. 5 I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. 6 For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth.(e) But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, 7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh(f) was given to me, a messenger[a] of Satan(g) to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power [b](h) is perfected in weakness." (i) Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ.(j) For when I am weak, then I am strong.(k)
Signs of an Apostle
11 I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.(l) 12 The signs(m) of an apostle(n) were performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders(o) and miracles.(p) 13 So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
Paul's Concern for the Corinthians
14 Now I am ready to come to you this third time.(q) I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you.[c](r) If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 Now granted, I have not burdened(s) you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!(t) 17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? 18 I urged Titus(u) to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit(v) and in the same footsteps?
19 You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you.[d] No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.(w) 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want;[e] there may be quarreling,(x) jealousy,(y) outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,(z) slander,(aa) gossip, arrogance, and disorder.(ab) 21 I fear that when I come my God will again[f] humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented(ac) of the moral impurity, sexual immorality,(ad) and promiscuity(ae) they practiced.
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