Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 38

The Defeat of Gog

¹ The word of the Lord came to me: ² "Son of man, turn your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog,^(a) the chief prince of^[a] Meshech and Tubal.^(b) Prophesy against him ³ and say: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. ⁴ I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws,^(c) and bring you out with all your army, including horses and riders,^(d) who are all splendidly dressed, a huge company armed with shields and bucklers, all of them brandishing swords. ⁵ Persia,^(e)Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets; ⁶ Gomer^(f) with all its troops; and Beth-togarmah^(g) from the remotest parts of the north along with all its troops—many peoples are with you.

⁷ "Be prepared and get yourself ready, you and all your company who have been mobilized around you; you will be their guard. ⁸ After a long time you will be summoned. In the last years you will enter a land that has been restored from war^[b] and regathered from many peoples to the mountains of Israel, which had long been a ruin.^(h) They were brought out from the peoples, and all of them now live securely. ⁹ You, all of your troops, and many peoples with you will advance, coming like a thunderstorm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.

¹⁰ "This is what the Lord God says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. ¹¹ You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of open villages; I will come against a tranquil people who are living securely,⁽ⁱ⁾ all of them living without walls and without bars or gates^(j)— ¹² in order to seize spoil and carry off plunder,^(k) to turn your hand against ruins now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have been acquiring cattle and possessions and who live at the center of the world.' ¹³ Sheba^(l) and Dedan^(m) and the merchants of Tarshish⁽ⁿ⁾ with all its rulers^[c] will ask you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hordes to carry off plunder, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and possessions, to seize great spoil?'

¹⁴ "Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: This is what the Lord God says: On that day when My people Israel are dwelling securely,^(o) will you not know this ¹⁵ and come from your place in the remotest parts of the north^(p)—you and many peoples with you, who are all riding horses—a mighty horde, a huge army? ¹⁶ You will advance against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the last days, Gog, that I will bring you against My land so that the nations may know Me, when I show Myself holy through you in their sight.^(q)

¹⁷ "This is what the Lord God says: Are you the one I spoke about in former times through My servants, the prophets of Israel, who for years prophesied in those times that I would bring you against them? ¹⁸ Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel"—this is the declaration of the Lord God —"My wrath will flare up.^{[d] 19} I swear in My zeal and fiery rage:^(r) On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰ The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before Me. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹ I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains"—the declaration of the Lord God —"and every man's sword will be against his brother.^{(s) 22} I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him.^{(t) 23} I will display My greatness and holiness, and will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations.^(u) Then they will know that I am Yahweh.

Chapter 2

²¹ When the eight days were completed for His circumcision,^(p) He was named Jesus^(q)—the name given by the angel before He was conceived.^{[k] 22} And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished,^(r) they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male ^[l] will be dedicated ^[m] to the Lord ^(s)[n]) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ^(t)[o]).

Simeon's Prophetic Praise

²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout,^(u) looking forward to Israel's consolation,^[p](v) and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit^(w) that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah.^{(x) 27} Guided by the Spirit, he entered^[q] the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, ²⁸ Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:

³³ His father and mother^[s] were amazed at what was being said about Him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: "Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel^(ab) and to be a sign that will be opposed^[t]— ³⁵ and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts^[u] of many hearts may be revealed."

Anna's Testimony

³⁶ There was also a prophetess,^(ac) Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.^(ad) She was well along in years,^[v] having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,^{[w](ae) 37} and was a widow for 84 years.^[x] She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.^{(af) 38} At that very moment,^[y] she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.^[z](ag)

The Family's Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.^{(ah) 40} The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God's grace was on Him.^(ai)

In His Father's House

⁴¹ Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.^{(aj) 42} When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.^{(ak) 43} After those days were over,^(al) as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents^[aa] did not know it. ⁴⁴ Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day's journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. ⁴⁶ After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him,^(am) "Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You."^(an)

⁴⁹ "Why were you searching for Me?" He asked them. "Didn't you know that I had to be in My Father's house?" ^{[ab] 50} But they did not understand what He said to them.^(ao)

In Favor with God and with People

⁵¹ Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.^{(ap) 52} And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.^(aq)