the Fourth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
May 4 - Old & New Testament
niv
1 Samuel 23
Chapter 23
David Saves Keilah
1 When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah(a) and are looting the threshing floors,"(b) 2 he inquired(c) of the Lord , saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?"
The Lord answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."
3 But David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"
4 Once again David inquired(d) of the Lord , and the Lord answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines(e) into your hand.(f)" 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar(g) son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod(h) down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Saul Pursues David
7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has delivered him into my hands,(i) for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars."(j) 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar(k) the priest, "Bring the ephod.(l)" 10 David said, " Lord , God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord , God of Israel, tell your servant."
And the Lord said, "He will."
12 Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender(m) me and my men to Saul?"
And the Lord said, "They will."
13 So David and his men,(n) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the wilderness(o) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.(p) Day after day Saul searched(q) for him, but God did not(r) give David into his hands.
15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that[a] Saul had come out to take his life.(s) 16 And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength(t) in God. 17 "Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king(u) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." 18 The two of them made a covenant(v) before the Lord . Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19 The Ziphites(w) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us(x) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,(y) south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving(z) him into your hands."
21 Saul replied, "The Lord bless(aa) you for your concern(ab) for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track(ac) him down among all the clans of Judah."
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,(ad) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.(ae) 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul(af) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land." 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.[b] 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds(ag) of En Gedi.[c](ah)
Psalms 54,63
Psalm 54[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites(a) had gone to Saul and said, "Is not David hiding among us?"
1 Save me(b), O God, by your name;(c)
vindicate me by your might.(d)
2 Hear my prayer, O God;(e)
listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;(f)
ruthless people(g) are trying to kill me(h)—
people without regard for God.[c](i)
4 Surely God is my help;(j)
the Lord is the one who sustains me.(k)
5 Let evil recoil(l) on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness(m) destroy them.
6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering(n) to you;
I will praise(o) your name,
Lord
, for it is good.(p)
7 You have delivered me(q) from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.(r)
Psalm 55[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David.
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;(a)
2
hear me and answer me.(b)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught(c)
3
because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me(d)
and assail(e) me in their anger.(f)
4 My heart is in anguish(g) within me;
the terrors(h) of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling(i) have beset me;
horror(j) has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;[c](k)
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,(l)
far from the tempest and storm.(m)"
9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,(n)
for I see violence and strife(o) in the city.(p)
10 Day and night they prowl(q) about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces(r) are at work in the city;
threats and lies(s) never leave its streets.
12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,(t)
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship(u)
at the house of God,(v)
as we walked about
among the worshipers.
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;(w)
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,(x)
for evil finds lodging among them.
16 As for me, I call to God,
and the
Lord
saves me.
17 Evening,(y) morning(z) and noon(aa)
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,(ab)
who does not change—
he will hear(ac) them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.(ad)
20 My companion attacks his friends;(ae)
he violates his covenant.(af)
21 His talk is smooth as butter,(ag)
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(ah)
yet they are drawn swords.(ai)
22 Cast your cares on the
Lord
and he will sustain you;(aj)
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.(ak)
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit(al) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful(am)
will not live out half their days.(an)
But as for me, I trust in you.(ao)
Psalm 56[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam.[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me,(a) my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;(b)
all day long they press their attack.(c)
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;(d)
in their pride many are attacking me.(e)
3 When I am afraid,(f) I put my trust in you.(g)
4
In God, whose word I praise—(h)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(i)
What can mere mortals do to me?(j)
5 All day long they twist my words;(k)
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire,(l) they lurk,
they watch my steps,(m)
hoping to take my life.(n)
7 Because of their wickedness do not[c] let them escape;(o)
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.(p)
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll[d](q)—
are they not in your record?(r)
9 Then my enemies will turn back(s)
when I call for help.(t)
By this I will know that God is for me.(u)
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the
Lord
, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows(v) to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death(w)
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.(x)
Psalm 57[a](a)
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(b)
1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.(c)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(d)
until the disaster has passed.(e)
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.(f)
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,(g)
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c](h)
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(i)
4 I am in the midst of lions;(j)
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.(k)
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.(l)
6 They spread a net for my feet(m)—
I was bowed down(n) in distress.
They dug a pit(o) in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.(p)
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;(q)
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!(r)
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(s)
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(t)
let your glory be over all the earth.(u)
Psalm 58[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam.[b]
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(a)
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,(b)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(c)
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(d)
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed(e) the tune of the charmer,(f)
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(g)
Lord
, tear out the fangs of those lions!(h)
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;(i)
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(j)
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(k)
like a stillborn child(l) that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(m)—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c](n)
10 The righteous will be glad(o) when they are avenged,(p)
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(q)
11 Then people will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(r)
surely there is a God who judges the earth."(s)
Psalm 59[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam.[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David's house(a) in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(b)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(c)
2 Deliver me from evildoers(d)
and save me from those who are after my blood.(e)
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire(f) against me
for no offense or sin of mine,
Lord
.
4 I have done no wrong,(g) yet they are ready to attack me.(h)
Arise to help me; look on my plight!(i)
5 You,
Lord
God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,(j)
rouse yourself(k) to punish all the nations;(l)
show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c](m)
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,(n)
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths(o)—
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(p)
and they think, "Who can hear us?"(q)
8 But you laugh at them,
Lord
;(r)
you scoff at all those nations.(s)
9 You are my strength,(t) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,(u)
10
my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d](v)
or my people will forget.(w)
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.(x)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(y)
for the words of their lips,(z)
let them be caught in their pride.(aa)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13
consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.(ab)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.(ac)
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(ad)
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(ae) of your strength,(af)
in the morning(ag) I will sing of your love;(ah)
for you are my fortress,(ai)
my refuge in times of trouble.(aj)
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.(ak)
Psalm 60[a](a)
For the director of music. To the tune of "The Lily of the Covenant." A miktam[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[c] and Aram Zobah,[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(b)
1 You have rejected us,(c) God, and burst upon us;
you have been angry(d)—now restore us!(e)
2 You have shaken the land(f) and torn it open;
mend its fractures,(g) for it is quaking.
3 You have shown your people desperate times;(h)
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.(i)
4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner(j)
to be unfurled against the bow.[e]
5 Save us and help us with your right hand,(k)
that those you love(l) may be delivered.
6 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
"In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(m)
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(n)
7 Gilead(o) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim(p) is my helmet,
Judah(q) is my scepter.(r)
8 Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.(s)"
9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?(t)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.(u)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.(v)
Psalm 61[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.
1 Hear my cry, O God;(a)
listen to my prayer.(b)
2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;(c)
lead me to the rock(d) that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge,(e)
a strong tower against the foe.(f)
4 I long to dwell(g) in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.[b](h)
5 For you, God, have heard my vows;(i)
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.(j)
6 Increase the days of the king's life,(k)
his years for many generations.(l)
7 May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;(m)
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.(n)
8 Then I will ever sing in praise of your name(o)
and fulfill my vows day after day.(p)
Psalm 62[a]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 Truly my soul finds rest(a) in God;(b)
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock(c) and my salvation;(d)
he is my fortress,(e) I will never be shaken.(f)
3 How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall,(g) this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.[b](h)
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;(i)
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God[c];
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.(j)
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;(k)
pour out your hearts to him,(l)
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn(m) are but a breath,(n)
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,(o) they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion(p)
or put vain hope in stolen goods;(q)
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.(r)
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
"Power belongs to you, God,(s)
12
and with you, Lord, is unfailing love";(t)
and, "You reward everyone
according to what they have done."(u)
Psalm 63[a]
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(a)
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.(b)
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary(c)
and beheld your power and your glory.(d)
3 Because your love is better than life,(e)
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,(f)
and in your name I will lift up my hands.(g)
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(h)
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.(i)
7 Because you are my help,(j)
I sing in the shadow of your wings.(k)
8 I cling to you;(l)
your right hand upholds me.(m)
9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(n)
they will go down to the depths of the earth.(o)
10 They will be given over to the sword(p)
and become food for jackals.(q)
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God will glory in him,(r)
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(s)
Luke 22:47-71
Chapter 22
47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?"(aw) 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,(ax) and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts,(ay) and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour(az)—when darkness reigns."(ba)
Peter Disowns Jesus(bb)
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.(bc) Peter followed at a distance.(bd) 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."
"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."(be)
60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord(bf) turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."(bg) 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The Guards Mock Jesus(bh)
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.(bi)
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod(bj)(bk)(bl)
66 At daybreak the council(bm) of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,(bn) and Jesus was led before them. 67 "If you are the Messiah," they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer.(bo) 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."(bp)
70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"(bq)
He replied, "You say that I am."(br)
71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."
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