Bible Reading Plan

Nehemiah 4

Chapter 4

Work Is Ridiculed

^1 (F1)Now it came about that when ^(C1)Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry, and he mocked the Jews.² And he spoke in the presence of his brothers and ^(C1)the ^(F1)wealthy people of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore the temple for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish it in a day? Can they revive the stones from the ^(C2)heaps of rubble, even the burned ones?"³ Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him, and he said, "Even what they are building—^(C1)if a fox were to ^(F1)jump on it, it would break their stone wall down!"

^4 (C1)Hear, O our God, how we are an object of contempt! ^(C2)Return their taunting on their own heads, and turn them into plunder in a land of captivity.⁵ Do not ^(F1)(C1)forgive their guilt and do not let their sin be wiped out before You, for they have ^(F2)demoralized the builders.

⁶ So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a ^(F1)mind to work.

^7 (F1)Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the ^(F2)repair of the walls of Jerusalem went ^(F3)on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.⁸ So all of them ^(C1)conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

Discouragement Overcome

¹⁰ And so ^(F1)in Judah it was said:

"The strength of the burden bearers is failing,
Yet there is much rubble;
And we ourselves are unable
To rebuild the wall."

¹⁵ Now when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that ^(C1)God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.¹⁶ And from that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them kept hold of the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the captains were behind all the house of Judah.¹⁷ Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens carried with one hand doing the work, and the other keeping hold of a weapon.¹⁸ As for the builders, each wore his sword strapped to his waist as he built, while ^(F1)the trumpeter stood near me.¹⁹ And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.²⁰ "At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, assemble to us there. ^(C1)Our God will fight for us."

²¹ So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from ^(F1)dawn until the stars ^(F2)appeared.²² At that time I also said to the people, "Each man with his servant shall spend the night within Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day."²³ So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me—none of us ^(F1)removed our clothes; each took his weapon even to the water.

Psalms 98

Chapter 98

A Call to Praise the LORD for His Righteousness.

¹ Sing a ^(C1)new song to the LORD,
For He has done ^(C2)wonderful things,
His ^(C3)right hand and His ^(C4)holy arm have ^(F1)gained the victory for Him.

^2 (C1)The LORD has made His salvation known;
He has ^(C2)revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.

³ He has ^(C1)remembered His graciousness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
^(C2)All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

^4 (C1)Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
^(C2)Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.

⁵ Sing praises to the LORD with the ^(C1)lyre,
With the lyre and the ^(F1)(C2)sound of melody.

⁶ With ^(C1)trumpets and the sound of the horn
^(C2)Shout joyfully before ^(C3)the King, the LORD.

⁷ May the ^(C1)sea roar and ^(F1)all it contains,
The ^(C2)world and those who dwell in it.

⁸ May the ^(C1)rivers clap their hands,
May the ^(C2)mountains sing together for joy

⁹ Before the LORD, for He is coming to ^(C1)judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And ^(C2)the peoples with fairness.

Revelation 3

Chapter 3

Message to Sardis

¹ "To the angel of the church in ^(C1)Sardis write: He who has ^(F1)(C2)the seven spirits of God and ^(C3)the seven stars, says this: '^(C4)I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are ^(C5)dead.² 'Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.³ 'So ^(C1)remember ^(F1)what you have received and heard; and ^(F2)keep it, and ^(C1)repent. Then if you are not alert, ^(C1)I will come ^(C2)like a thief, and you will not know at ^(C3)what hour I will come to you.⁴ 'But you have a few ^(F1)(C1)people in ^(C2)Sardis who have not ^(C3)soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me ^(C4)in white, for they are worthy.⁵ '^(C1)The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in ^(C2)white garments; and I will not ^(C3)erase his name from the book of life, and ^(C4)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.⁶ '^(C1)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Message to Philadelphia

⁷ "And to the angel of the church in ^(C1)Philadelphia write: ^(C2)He who is holy, ^(C3)who is true, who has ^(C4)the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

⁸ '^(C1)I know your ^(F1)deeds. Behold, I have put before you ^(C2)an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and ^(C3)have not denied My name.⁹ 'Behold, I ^(F1)will make those of ^(C1)the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them ^(C2)come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that ^(C3)I have loved you.¹⁰ 'Because you have ^(C1)kept ^(C2)My ^(F1)word of perseverance, ^(C3)I also will keep you from the hour of the ^(F2)(C4)testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole ^(F3)(C5)world, to ^(F4)test ^(C6)those who live on the earth.¹¹ '^(C1)I am coming quickly; ^(C2)hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your ^(C3)crown.¹² '^(C1)The one who overcomes, I will make him a ^(C2)pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the ^(C3)name of My God, and ^(C4)the name of the city of My God, ^(C5)the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My ^(C6)new name.¹³ '^(C1)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ "To the angel of the church in ^(C1)Laodicea write: ^(C2)The Amen, ^(C3)the faithful and true Witness, ^(C4)the ^(F1)Origin of the creation of God, says this:

¹⁵ '^(C1)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; ^(C2)I wish that you were cold or hot.¹⁶ 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.¹⁷ 'Because you say, "^(C1)I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything," and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,¹⁸ I advise you to ^(C1)buy from Me ^(C2)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and ^(C3)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and ^(C4)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see.¹⁹ '^(C1)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and ^(C2)repent.²⁰ 'Behold, I stand ^(C1)at the door and ^(C2)knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, ^(C3)I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.²¹ '^(C1)The one who overcomes, I will grant to him ^(C2)to sit with Me on My throne, as ^(C3)I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.²² '^(C1)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"