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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 20 - Old & New Testament
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Esther 1,2
The Banquets of the King
1 Now it happened in the days of (C1)Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned (C2)from India to (F1)Cush over (C3)127 provinces,2 in those days as King Ahasuerus (C1)sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in (C2)Susa,3 in the third year of his reign (C1)he held a banquet for all his officials and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the officials of his provinces, in his presence.4 (F1)At that time he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days.
5 When these days were finished, the king held a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard of (C1)the garden of the king's palace.6 There were curtains of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and (C1)couches of gold and silver on a mosaic floor of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and mineral stones.7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful (C1)in proportion to the king's (F1)bounty.8 But the drinking was done according to the royal law; there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household, that he was to do as each person pleased.9 Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women in the (F1)palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Queen Vashti's Refusal
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was (C1)cheerful with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal (C1)turban in order to display her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful.12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's order (F1)delivered by the eunuchs. So the king became very angry, and his wrath burned within him.
13 Then the king said to (C1)the wise men (C2)who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king to speak this way before all who knew Persian law and justice14 and were close to him, namely, Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media (C1)who (F1)had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—15 "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, since she did not (F1)obey the command of King Ahasuerus (F2)delivered by the eunuchs?"16 And in the presence of the king and the other officials, Memucan said, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.17 "For the queen's conduct will (F1)become known to all the women so as to make their own husbands despicable in their sight, when they say, 'King Ahasuerus (F2)commanded that Queen Vashti be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.'18 "And this day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen's conduct will talk about it to all the king's officials, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger.19 "If it pleases the king, let a royal (F1)edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so (C1)that it cannot (F2)be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to (F3)another who is more worthy than she.20 "When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout his kingdom, (F1)great as it is, then (C1)all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small."
21 Now this word pleased the king and the officials, and the king did (F1)as Memucan proposed.22 So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, (C1)to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man was to (C2)be the ruler in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.
Vashti's Successor Sought
1 After these things, (C1)when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and (C2)what had been decided regarding her.2 Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "(C1)Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.3 "And may the king appoint overseers in (C1)all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them (F1)bring every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of (C2)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and (C3)let their cosmetics be given to them.4 "Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the (F1)suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.
5 There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was (C1)Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,6 (C1)who had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported.7 He was the guardian to Hadassah, that is (C1)Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young woman was beautiful of form and (F1)face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Esther Finds Favor
8 So it came about, when the command and decree of the king were heard and (C1)many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the (F1)custody of (C2)Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king's (F2)palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her (C1)cosmetics and (F1)food, gave her seven choice female attendants from the king's palace, and transferred her and her attendants to the best place in the harem.10 (C1)Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, because Mordecai had instructed her that she was not to reveal them.11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beauty treatment were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with balsam oil and the cosmetics for women—13 the young woman would go in to the king in this way: anything that she (F1)desired was given her to (F2)take with her from the harem to the king's palace.14 In the evening she would enter and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the (F1)custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
15 Now when the turn of Esther, (C1)the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what (C2)Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the women, (F1)advised. And Esther was finding favor in the eyes of all who saw her.16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esther Becomes Queen
17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that (C1)he set the royal turban on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.18 Then (C1)the king held a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his officials and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts (C2)in proportion to the king's bounty.
19 (C1)Now when the virgins were gathered together for the second time, then Mordecai (C2)was sitting at the king's gate.20 (C1)Esther still had not revealed her relatives or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did (F1)what Mordecai told her just as she had (C2)when under his care.
Mordecai Saves the King
21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, (C1)Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to (F1)attack King Ahasuerus.22 But the (F1)plot became known to Mordecai and (C1)he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name.23 Then when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a wooden gallows; and it was written in (C1)the Book of the Chronicles in the king's presence.Matthew 1
Chapter 1
The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah
1 The (F1)record of the genealogy of (F2)Jesus the (F3)Messiah, (C1)the son of David, (C2)the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered (F1)Judah and his brothers.3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, (C1)Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered (F1)Ram.4 Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon.5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse.
6 Jesse fathered David the king.
12 After the (C1)deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah fathered (F1)Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel.13 Zerubbabel fathered (F1)Abihud, Abihud fathered Eliakim, and Eliakim fathered Azor.14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim fathered Eliud.15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob.16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, (C1)who is called the (F1)Messiah.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the (C1)deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the (C1)deportation to Babylon to the (F1)Messiah, fourteen generations.
Conception and Birth of Jesus
18 Now the birth of Jesus the (F1)Messiah was as follows: when His (C1)mother Mary had been (F2)betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was (C2)found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to (F1)(C1)send her away secretly.20 But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "(C1)Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for (F1)the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.21 "She will give birth to a Son; and (C1)you shall name Him Jesus, for (F1)He (C2)will save His people from their sins."22 Now all this (F1)took place so that what was (C1)spoken by the Lord through (F2)the prophet would be fulfilled:23 "(C1)BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN WILL (F1)(C2)CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL NAME HIM (F2)IMMANUEL," which translated means, "(C3)GOD WITH US."24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,25 (F1)but kept her a virgin until she (C1)gave birth to a Son; and (C2)he named Him Jesus.
Luke 3
Chapter 3
John the Baptist Preaches
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when (C1)Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and (C2)Herod was tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,2 in the high priesthood of (C1)Annas and (C2)Caiaphas, (C3)the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.3 And he came into all (C1)the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance (F1)for the forgiveness of sins;4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "(C1)THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING (F1)OUT IN THE WILDERNESS,
'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD,
MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!
5 '(C1)EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,
AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE LOWERED;
THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,
AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;
6 (C1)AND ALL (F1)FLESH WILL (C2)SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD!'"
7 So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "(C1)You (F1)offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8 "Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and (C1)do not start saying (F1)to yourselves, '(C2)We have Abraham as our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham.9 "But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so (C1)every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "(C1)Then what are we to do?"11 And he would answer and say to them, "The one who has two (F1)tunics is to (C1)share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise."12 Now even (C1)tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"13 And he said to them, "(F1)Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."14 And soldiers also were questioning him, saying, "What are we to do, we as well?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone, nor (F1)(C1)harass anyone, and (C2)be content with your wages."
15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and they all were thinking carefully in their hearts about John, (C1)whether he himself perhaps was the (F1)Christ,16 (C1)John responded to them all, saying, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you (F1)with the Holy Spirit and fire.17 "His (C1)winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with (C2)unquenchable fire."
18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.19 But when (C1)Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him regarding (C1)Herodias, his brother's wife, and regarding all the evil things which (C2)Herod had done,20 Herod also added this to them all: (C1)he locked John up in prison.
Jesus Is Baptized
21 (C1)Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while He was (C2)praying, heaven was opened,22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: "(C1)You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased."
Genealogy of Jesus
23 (C1)When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years old, being, as was commonly held, the son of (C2)Joseph, (F1)the son of (F2)Eli,24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of (F1)Hesli, the son of Naggai,26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, (C1)the son of Zerubbabel, the son of (F1)Shealtiel, the son of Neri,28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,29 the son of (F1)Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,30 the son of Simeon, the son of (F1)Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,32 (C1)the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of (F1)Salmon, the son of (F2)Nahshon,33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of (F1)Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, (C1)the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,35 the son of Serug, the son of (F1)Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of (F2)Heber, the son of Shelah,36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, (C1)the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
