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Bible Reading Plan

Daily Bible Reading

November 20 - Old & New Testament
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Ezekiel 14,15

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

1 Then some (C1)elders of Israel came to me and (C2)sat down before me.2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,3 "Son of man, these men have (C1)set up their idols in their hearts and have (C2)put in front of their faces the stumbling block of their wrongdoing. Should I let Myself be (C3)consulted by them at all?4 "Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Lord (F1)GOD says: "Anyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts in front of his face the stumbling block of his wrongdoing, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will let Myself answer him in (F2)the matter in view of the (C1)multitude of his idols,5 in order to take hold of (F1)(C1)the hearts of the house of Israel who have (F2)(C2)turned away from Me due to all their idols."'

6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "(C1)Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your (C2)abominations.7 "For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the (C1)strangers who reside in Israel, who deserts Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts in front of his face the stumbling block of his wrongdoing, and then comes to the prophet to request something of Me for himself, (C2)I the LORD will let Myself answer him Myself.8 "I will (C1)set My face against that person and make him a (C2)sign and (F1)a proverb, and I will eliminate him from among My people. So you will know that I am the LORD.

9 "But if the prophet is persuaded so that he speaks a word, it is I, the LORD, who have persuaded that prophet; and I will stretch out My hand against him and (C1)eliminate him from among My people Israel.10 "And they will bear the punishment for their wrongdoing; as the wrongdoing of the inquirer is, so the wrongdoing of the prophet will be,11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer (C1)stray from Me and no longer (C2)defile themselves with all their offenses. So they will be (C3)My people, and I shall be their God,"' declares the Lord GOD."

The City Will Not Be Spared

12 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,13 "Son of man, if a country sins against Me by (C1)being unfaithful, and I stretch out My hand against it, (F1)destroy its (C2)supply of bread, send famine against it, and eliminate from it both human and animal life,14 even (C1)though these three men, (C2)Noah, (C3)Daniel, and (C4)Job, were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only save (C5)themselves," declares the Lord GOD.15 "If I were to cause (C1)vicious animals to pass through the land and they (F1)depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the animals,16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "they could not save either their sons or their daughters. (C1)They alone would be saved, but the country would be desolate.17 "Or if I were to (C1)bring a sword on that country and say, 'A sword is to pass through the country,' and I (C2)eliminated human and animal life from it,18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "they could not save either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be saved.19 "Or if I were to send a (C1)plague against that country and pour out My wrath on it in blood to eliminate man and animal from it,20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "they could not save either their son or their daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness."

21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: "How much more when (C1)I send My four (F1)severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, vicious animals, and plague to eliminate human and animal life from it!22 "Yet, behold, (F1)survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come out to you, and you will (C1)see their conduct and actions; then you will be (C2)comforted for the disaster which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it.23 "Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done (C1)without reason whatever I did (F1)to it," declares the Lord GOD.

Jerusalem like a Useless Vine

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2 "Son of man, (F1)how is the wood of the (C1)vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?3 "Can wood be taken from it to make (F1)anything, or can even a peg be taken from it on which to hang any utensil?4 "If it has been put into the (C1)fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then good for (F1)anything?5 "Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into (F1)anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into (F1)anything!6 "Therefore, this is what the Lord (F1)GOD says: 'As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem;7 and I (C1)set My face against them. Though they have (C2)come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them.8 'So I will make the land desolate, because they have (C1)acted unfaithfully,'" declares the Lord GOD.

2 Timothy 1

Chapter 1

Timothy Charged to Guard His Trust

1 Paul, (C1)an apostle of (C2)Christ Jesus (F1)(C3)by the will of God, according to the promise of (C4)life in Christ Jesus,

2 To (C1)Timothy, my beloved (F1)(C2)son: (C3)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 (C1)I thank God, whom I (C2)serve with a (C3)clear conscience (F1)the way my forefathers did, (C4)as I constantly remember you in my (F2)prayers night and day,4 (C1)longing to see you, (C2)even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.5 (F1)For I am mindful of the (C1)sincere faith within you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois and (C2)your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh (C1)the gift of God which is in you through (C1)the laying on of my hands.7 For God has not given us a (C1)spirit of (F1)timidity, but of power and love and (F2)discipline.

8 Therefore (C1)do not be ashamed of the (C2)testimony of our Lord or of me (C3)His prisoner, but join with me in (C4)suffering for the (C5)gospel according to the power of God,9 who (C1)saved us and (C2)called us with a holy (C3)calling, (C4)not according to our works, but according to His own (C2)purpose and grace, which was granted to us in (C5)Christ Jesus from (C6)all eternity,10 but has (C1)now been revealed by the (C2)appearing of our Savior (C3)Christ Jesus, who (C4)abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,11 (C1)for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.12 For this reason I also suffer these things; but (C1)I am not ashamed, for I know (C2)whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to (C3)protect what I have entrusted to Him (F1)until (C4)that day.13 (C1)Hold on to the (C2)example of (C3)sound words (C4)which you have heard from me, in the (C5)faith and love which are in (C6)Christ Jesus.14 Protect, through the Holy Spirit who (C1)dwells in us, the (F1)(C2)treasure which has been entrusted to you.

15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in (F1)(C1)Asia (C2)turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.16 The Lord grant mercy to (C1)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and (C2)was not ashamed of my (F1)(C3)chains;17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on (C1)that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at (C2)Ephesus.

 
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