the Third Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 28 - Old & New Testament
niv
Nehemiah 10,11
1 [a]Those who sealed it were:
Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.
Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah,(a) Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashhur,(b) Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,
5 Harim,(c) Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.
These were the priests.(d)
9 The Levites:(e)
Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 and their associates: Shebaniah,
Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.
14 The leaders of the people:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,(f)
17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,(g)
21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah,(h) Hasshub,
24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluk, Harim and Baanah.
28 "The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants(i) and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples(j) for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath(k) to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
30 "We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.(l)
31 "When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath,(m) we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land(n) and will cancel all debts.(o)
32 "We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel[b] each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table;(p) for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon(q) feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.(r)
34 "We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots(s) to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood(t) to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.
35 "We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits(u) of our crops and of every fruit tree.(v)
36 "As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn(w) of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.(x)
37 "Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil.(y) And we will bring a tithe(z) of our crops to the Levites,(aa) for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.(ab) 38 A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes(ac) up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."(ad)
The New Residents of Jerusalem(a)
1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem,(b) the holy city,(c) while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.(d) 2 The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
3 These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon's servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,(e) 4 while other people from both Judah and Benjamin(f) lived in Jerusalem):(g)
From the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. 6 The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.
7 From the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 men. 9 Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.
10 From the priests:
Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; 11 Seraiah(h) son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub,(i) the official in charge of the house of God, 12 and their associates, who carried on work for the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and his[a] associates, who were men of standing—128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 Shabbethai(j) and Jozabad,(k) two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; 17 Mattaniah(l) son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph,(m) the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.(n) 18 The Levites in the holy city(o) totaled 284.
19 The gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.
20 The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.
21 The temple servants(p) lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,(q) the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph's descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. 23 The musicians(r) were under the king's orders, which regulated their daily activity.
24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah(s) son of Judah, was the king's agent in all affairs relating to the people.
25 As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba(t) and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon(u) and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 in Jeshua, in Moladah,(v) in Beth Pelet,(w) 27 in Hazar Shual,(x) in Beersheba(y) and its settlements, 28 in Ziklag,(z) in Mekonah and its settlements, 29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah,(aa) in Jarmuth,(ab) 30 Zanoah,(ac) Adullam(ad) and their villages, in Lachish(ae) and its fields, and in Azekah(af) and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba(ag) to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba(ah) lived in Mikmash,(ai) Aija, Bethel(aj) and its settlements, 32 in Anathoth,(ak) Nob(al) and Ananiah, 33 in Hazor,(am) Ramah(an) and Gittaim,(ao) 34 in Hadid, Zeboim(ap) and Neballat, 35 in Lod and Ono,(aq) and in Ge Harashim.
36 Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
Revelation 19
Chapter 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude(a) in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!(b)
Salvation(c) and glory and power(d) belong to our God,
2
for true and just are his judgments.(e)
He has condemned the great prostitute(f)
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."(g)
3 And again they shouted:
"Hallelujah!(h)
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."(i)
4 The twenty-four elders(j) and the four living creatures(k) fell down(l) and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
"Amen, Hallelujah!"(m)
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,(n)
you who fear him,
both great and small!"(o)
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,(p) like the roar of rushing waters(q) and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!(r)
For our Lord God Almighty(s) reigns.(t)
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!(u)
For the wedding of the Lamb(v) has come,
and his bride(w) has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen,(x) bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts(y) of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me,(z) "Write this:(aa) Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!"(ab) And he added, "These are the true words of God."(ac)
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him.(ad) But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!(ae) For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."(af)
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open(ag) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider(ah) is called Faithful and True.(ai) With justice he judges and wages war.(aj) 12 His eyes are like blazing fire,(ak) and on his head are many crowns.(al) He has a name written on him(am) that no one knows but he himself.(an) 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,(ao) and his name is the Word of God.(ap) 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,(aq) white(ar) and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword(as) with which to strike down(at) the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a](au) He treads the winepress(av) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:(aw)
king of kings and lord of lords .(ax)
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds(ay) flying in midair,(az) "Come,(ba) gather together for the great supper of God,(bb) 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,(bc) free and slave,(bd) great and small."(be)
19 Then I saw the beast(bf) and the kings of the earth(bg) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse(bh) and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet(bi) who had performed the signs(bj) on its behalf.(bk) With these signs he had deluded(bl) those who had received the mark of the beast(bm) and worshiped its image.(bn) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake(bo) of burning sulfur.(bp) 21 The rest were killed with the sword(bq) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,(br) and all the birds(bs) gorged themselves on their flesh.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
