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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 15 - Bible-in-a-Year
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Ezekiel 21-22
Chapter 21
Parable of the Sword of the LORD
1 (F1)And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2 "Son of man, (C1)set your face against Jerusalem, and (F1)(C2)speak prophetically against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel;3 and say to the land of Israel, 'This is what the LORD says: "Behold, (C1)I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the (C2)righteous and the wicked.4 "Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against (F1)(C1)humanity from south to north.5 "So (F1)humanity will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will (C1)not return to its sheath again."'6 "As for you, son of man, groan with (F1)a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight.7 "And when they say to you, 'Why are you groaning?' you shall say, 'Because of the (C1)news, for it is coming; and (C2)every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all (F1)knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,' declares the Lord (F2)GOD."
8 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,9 "Son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the LORD says:' Say, '(C1)A sword, a sword sharpened
And also polished!
10 'Sharpened to make a (C1)slaughter,
Polished (F1)to flash like lightning!'
Or shall we rejoice, the (F2)rod of My son (C2)despising every tree?
14 "You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be (C1)doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,15 so that their (C1)hearts will waver, and many (C2)fall at all their (C3)gates. I have granted the slaughter of the sword. Oh! It is made for striking like lightning, it is sharpened in readiness for slaughter.16 "Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your (F1)edge is ordered.17 "I will also clap My hands, and I will (C1)satisfy My wrath; I, the LORD, have spoken."
The Instrument of God's Judgment
18 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,19 "Now as for you, son of man, (F1)(C1)make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And (F2)make a signpost; (F3)make it at the head of the way to the city.20 "You shall (F1)mark a way for the sword to come to (C1)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into (C2)fortified Jerusalem.21 "For the king of Babylon stands at the (F1)parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use (C1)divination; he (C2)shakes the arrows, he consults the (F2)(C3)household idols, he looks at the liver.22 "Into his right hand came the divination, 'Jerusalem,' to (C1)set up battering rams, to open the mouth (F1)for (F2)slaughter, to raise the voice with a battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to pile up assault ramps, to build a siege wall.23 "And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; (C1)they have sworn solemn oaths. But he (C2)makes guilt known, so that they may be seized.
24 "Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Because you have made your guilt known, in that your offenses are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins are seen—because you have come to mind, you will be seized by the hand.25 'And you, slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose (C1)day has come, in the time of the (F1)punishment of the end,'26 this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Remove the (F1)turban and take off the (C1)crown; this will (F2)no longer be the same. (C2)Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.27 '(C1)Ruins, ruins, ruins, I will make it! This also will be no longer until (C2)He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.'
28 "And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Lord GOD says concerning the sons of Ammon and their (C1)taunting,' and say: 'A sword, a sword is drawn, sharpened for the slaughter, to make it (F1)(C2)consume, so that it may be like lightning—29 while they see (C1)false visions for you, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the wicked who are killed, whose day has come, in the (C2)time of the (F1)punishment of the end.30 '(C1)Return it to its sheath. In the (C2)place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.31 'I will (C1)pour out My indignation on you; I will (C2)blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will hand you over to brutal men, (C3)craftsmen of destruction.32 'You will be (F1)(C1)fuel for the fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will (C2)not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.'"
Chapter 22
The Sins of Israel
1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2 "And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then inform her of all her abominations.3 "And you shall say, 'This is what the Lord (F1)GOD says: "A city (C1)shedding blood in her midst, so that her time is coming; and a city that makes idols, contrary to her own good, for defilement!4 "You have become (C1)guilty by (F1)the blood which you have shed, and you have become defiled by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your days closer and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a (C2)disgrace to the nations, and an object of mocking to all the lands.5 "Those who are near and those who are far from you will make fun of you, you of ill repute, full of (C1)turmoil.
6 "Behold, the (C1)rulers of Israel, each according to his (F1)power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood.7 "They have (C1)treated father and mother with contempt among you. They have oppressed the (C2)stranger in your midst; they have oppressed the (C3)orphan and the widow among you.8 "You have (C1)despised My holy things and (C2)profaned My Sabbaths.9 "Slanderous men have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood, and among you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have (C1)committed outrageous sin.10 "Among you (F1)they have (C1)uncovered their fathers' nakedness; among you they have abused her who was (C2)unclean in her menstruation.11 "And one has committed abomination with his (C1)neighbor's wife, another has outrageously defiled his (C2)daughter-in-law, and another among you has sexually (C3)abused his sister, his father's daughter.12 "Among you they have (C1)taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken (F1)(C2)interest, you have injured your neighbors by (C3)oppression, and you have (C4)forgotten Me," declares the Lord GOD.
13 "Behold, then, I strike with My hand your (C1)profit which you have made and (F1)the bloodshed which is among you.14 "Can (C1)your heart endure, or can your hands be strong for the days that I will deal with you? (C2)I, the LORD, have spoken and will act.15 "And I will (C1)scatter you among the nations and disperse you among the lands, and I will (C2)eliminate your uncleanness from you.16 "Then you will defile yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will (C1)know that I am the LORD."'"
17 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,18 "Son of man, the house of Israel has become (F1)(C1)waste metal to Me; all of them are (C2)bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the (C3)smelting furnace; they are the (F1)waste metal of silver.19 "Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Because all of you have become (F1)waste metal, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.20 'As they gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the (C1)smelting furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath, and I will place you there and melt you.21 'And I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it.22 'As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have (C1)poured out My wrath on you.'"
23 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,24 "Son of man, say to her, 'You are a land that is (C1)not clean or rained on in the day of indignation.'25 "There is a (C1)conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have (C2)devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many (C3)widows in the midst of her.26 "Her (C1)priests have done violence to My Law and have (C2)profaned My holy things; they have made no (C3)distinction between the holy and the (F1)common, and they have not taught the difference between the (C4)unclean and the clean; and they have closed their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am defiled among them.27 "Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and (C1)destroying lives in order to make (C2)dishonest profit.28 "And her prophets have coated with whitewash for them, seeing (C1)false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'This is what the Lord GOD says,' when the LORD has not spoken.29 "The people of the land have practiced (C1)extortion and committed robbery, and they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have (C2)oppressed the stranger without justice.30 "I (C1)searched for a man among them who would (C2)build up a wall and (C3)stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found (F1)no one.31 "So I have poured out My (C1)indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; I have brought (C2)their way upon their heads," declares the Lord GOD.
Isaiah 50
Chapter 50
God Helps His Servant
1 This is what the LORD says: "Where is the (C1)certificate of divorce
By which I have (C2)sent your mother away?
Or to whom of My creditors did I (C3)sell you?
Behold, you were sold for your (C4)wrongdoings,
And for your (C5)wrongful acts your mother (C6)was sent away.
2 "Why was there (C1)no one when I came?
When I called, why was there no one to answer?
Is My (C2)hand so short that it cannot redeem?
Or do I have no power to rescue?
Behold, I (C3)dry up the sea with My rebuke,
I (C4)turn rivers into a wilderness;
Their fish stink for lack of water,
And die of thirst.
3 "I (C1)clothe the heavens with blackness,
And make sackcloth their covering."
4 The Lord (F1)GOD has given Me the tongue of (C1)disciples,
So that I may know how to (C2)sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me (C3)morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
5 The Lord GOD has (C1)opened My ear,
And I was (C2)not disobedient,
Nor did I turn back.
6 I (C1)gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard;
I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.
7 For the Lord GOD (C1)helps Me,
Therefore, I am (C2)not disgraced;
Therefore, I have made My face like (C3)flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
8 He who (C1)vindicates Me is near;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us (C2)stand up to each other.
Who has a case against Me?
Let him approach Me.
9 Behold, (C1)the Lord GOD helps Me;
(C2)Who is he who condemns Me?
Behold, (C3)they will all wear out like a garment;
A moth will eat them.
10 Who is among you who fears the LORD,
Who obeys the voice of His (C1)servant,
Who (C2)walks in darkness and has no light?
Let him (C3)trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who (C1)kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with flaming arrows,
Walk in the light of your fire
And among the flaming arrows you have set ablaze.
This you will have from My hand:
You will (C2)lie down in torment.
Philippians 2:12-30
Chapter 2
12 So then, my beloved, (C1)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own (C2)salvation with (C3)fear and trembling;13 for it is (C1)God who is at work in you, both to (F1)desire and to work (C2)for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without (C1)complaining or arguments;15 so that you will (F1)prove yourselves to be (C1)blameless and innocent, (C2)children of God above reproach in the midst of a (C3)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you (F2)(C4)appear as (F3)lights in the world,16 holding firmly the word of life, so that on (C1)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not (C2)run in vain nor (C3)labor in vain.17 But even if I am being (C1)poured out as a drink offering upon (C2)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 But I hope, (F1)in the Lord Jesus, to (C1)send (C2)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.20 For I have no one else (C1)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.21 For they all (C1)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.22 But you know (C1)of his proven character, that (C2)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel (C3)like a child serving his father.23 (C1)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;24 and (C1)I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly.25 But I thought it necessary to send to you (C1)Epaphroditus, my brother and (C2)fellow worker and (C3)fellow soldier, who is also your (F1)(C4)messenger and (C1)minister to my need,26 because he was longing (F1)for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.29 (C1)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and (C2)hold people like him in high regard,30 because he came close to death (F1)(C1)for the work of Christ, risking his life to (C2)compensate (F2)for your absence in your service to me.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
