the Fourth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
May 20 - Bible-in-a-Year
niv
1 Samuel 1:1-2:10
Chapter 1
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim,(a) a Zuphite[a](b) from the hill country(c) of Ephraim,(d) whose name was Elkanah(e) son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives;(f) one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Year after year(g) this man went up from his town to worship(h) and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,(i) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,(j) were priests of the Lord . 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,(k) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.(l) 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion(m) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.(n) 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.(o) 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord , her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.(p) 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?(q)"
9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord 's house.(r) 10 In her deep anguish(s) Hannah prayed to the Lord , weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,(t) saying, " Lord Almighty(u), if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember(v) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,(w) and no razor(x) will ever be used on his head."
12 As she kept on praying to the Lord , Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, "How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine."
15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled.(y) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring(z) out my soul to the Lord . 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."(aa)
17 Eli answered, "Go in peace,(ab) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.(ac)"
18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes.(ad)" Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.(ae)
19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.(af) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered(ag) her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(ah) She named(ai) him Samuel,[b](aj) saying, "Because I asked the Lord for him."
Hannah Dedicates Samuel
21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual(ak) sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,(al) 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present(am) him before the Lord , and he will live there always."[c]
23 "Do what seems best to you," her husband Elkanah told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good(an) his[d] word." So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned(ao) him.
24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e](ap) an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, "Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord . 27 I prayed(aq) for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord . For his whole life(ar) he will be given over to the Lord ." And he worshiped the Lord there.
Chapter 2
Hannah's Prayer
1 Then Hannah prayed and said:(a)
"My heart rejoices(b) in the
Lord
;
in the
Lord
my horn[a](c) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts(d) over my enemies,(e)
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 "There is no one holy(f) like(g) the
Lord
;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock(h) like our God.
3 "Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,(i)
for the
Lord
is a God who knows,(j)
and by him deeds(k) are weighed.(l)
4 "The bows of the warriors are broken,(m)
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.(n)
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry(o) are hungry no more.
She who was barren(p) has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 "The
Lord
brings death and makes alive;(q)
he brings down to the grave and raises up.(r)
7 The
Lord
sends poverty and wealth;(s)
he humbles and he exalts.(t)
8 He raises(u) the poor(v) from the dust(w)
and lifts the needy(x) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.(y)
"For the foundations(z) of the earth are the
Lord
's;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet(aa) of his faithful servants,(ab)
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.(ac)
"It is not by strength(ad) that one prevails;
10
those who oppose the
Lord
will be broken.(ae)
The Most High will thunder(af) from heaven;
the
Lord
will judge(ag) the ends of the earth.
"He will give strength(ah) to his king
and exalt the horn(ai) of his anointed."
Psalms 49
Chapter 49
Psalm 49[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear(a) this, all you peoples;(b)
listen, all who live in this world,(c)
2 both low and high,(d)
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(e)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(f)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(g)
with the harp(h) I will expound my riddle:(i)
5 Why should I fear(j) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(k)
and boast(l) of their great riches?(m)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(n) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(o)
9 so that they should live on(p) forever
and not see decay.(q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(r)
that the foolish and the senseless(s) also perish,
leaving their wealth(t) to others.(u)
11 Their tombs(v) will remain their houses[b] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(w)
though they had[c] named(x) lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;(y)
they are like the beasts that perish.(z)
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(aa)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(ab) to die;(ac)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail(ad) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(ae)
he will surely take me to himself.(af)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(ag) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.(ah)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(ai)
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(aj)
who will never again see the light(ak) of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(al)
are like the beasts that perish.(am)
Acts 26:19-32
Chapter 26
19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient(ah) to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus,(ai) then to those in Jerusalem(aj) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,(ak) I preached that they should repent(al) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.(am) 21 That is why some Jews seized me(an) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.(ao) 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen(ap)— 23 that the Messiah would suffer(aq) and, as the first to rise from the dead,(ar) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles."(as)
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind,(at) Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning(au) is driving you insane."
25 "I am not insane, most excellent(av) Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things,(aw) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"(ax)
29 Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."(ay)
30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice(az) and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment."(ba)
32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free(bb) if he had not appealed to Caesar."(bc)
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