Daily Readings for November 13

Daily Readings for November 13
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Ezra 9

1.Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying, "The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2.For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass."

3.When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 4.Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of their trespass of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. 5.At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God; 6.and I said, "My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. 7.Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8.Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9.For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

10."Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11.which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness. 12.Now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.'

13."After all that has come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 14.shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn't you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15.Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this."

Hosea 10

1.Israel is a luxuriant vine that puts forth his fruit. According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars. As their land has prospered, they have adorned their sacred stones. 2.Their heart is divided. Now they will be found guilty. He will demolish their altars. He will destroy their sacred stones. 3.Surely now they will say, "We have no king; for we don't fear Yahweh; and the king, what can he do for us?" 4.They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants. Therefore judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. 5.The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror for the calves of Beth Aven; for its people will mourn over it, Along with its priests who rejoiced over it, for its glory, because it has departed from it. 6.It also will be carried to Assyria for a present to a great king. Ephraim will receive shame, and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel. 7.Samaria and her king float away, like a twig on the water. 8.The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle will come up on their altars. They will tell the mountains, "Cover us!" and the hills, "Fall on us!"

9."Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they remained. The battle against the children of iniquity doesn't overtake them in Gibeah. 10.When it is my desire, I will chastise them; and the nations will be gathered against them, when they are bound to their two transgressions. 11.Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah will plow. Jacob will break his clods. 12.Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you. 13.You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men. 14.Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces with her children. 15.So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be destroyed.

Colossians 1

1.Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2.to the saints and faithful brothers¹ in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3.We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4.having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints, 5.because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News, 6.which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7.even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8.who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 9.For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10.that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11.strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; 12.giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13.who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; 14.in whom we have our redemption,² the forgiveness of our sins; 15.who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16.For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. 17.He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18.He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19.For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; 20.and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

21.You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22.yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him, 23.if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

24.Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly; 25.of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God, 26.the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, 27.to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; 28.whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; 29.for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.