Daily Readings for October 26

Daily Readings for October 26
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2Chronicles 23

1.In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. 2.They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3.All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. He said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David. 4.This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds. 5.A third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of Yahweh's house. 6.But let no one come into the house of Yahweh, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow Yahweh's instructions. 7.The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out."

8.So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn't dismiss the shift. 9.Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God. 10.He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king. 11.Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, "Long live the king!"

12.When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh: 13.and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also played musical instruments, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, "Treason! treason!"

14.Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword." For the priest said, "Don't kill her in the Yahweh's house." 15.So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house; and they killed her there. 16.Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh's people. 17.All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18.Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David. 19.He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in. 20.He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Yahweh: and they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21.So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword.

Daniel 4

1.Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 2.It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me. 3.How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 4.I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5.I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6.Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7.Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8.But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, [saying], 9.Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation. 10.Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great. 11.The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth. 12.The leaves of it were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all: the animals of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. 13.I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky. 14.He cried aloud, and said thus, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. 15.Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth: 16.let his heart be changed from man's, and let an animal's heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him. 17.The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men. 18.This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you. 19.Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, don't let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered, My lord, the dream be to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries. 20.The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth; 21.whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation: 22.it is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23.Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him; 24.this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king: 25.that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 26.Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule. 27.Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility. 28.All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29.At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. 30.The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? 31.While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you: 32.and you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 33.The same hour was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair was grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws]. 34.At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation. 35.All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or ask him, What are you doing? 36.At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me; and my counselors and my lords sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me. 37.Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

Acts 2

1.Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2.Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3.Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4.They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 5.Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6.When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7.They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans? 8.How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9.Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10.Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11.Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!" 12.They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, "What does this mean?" 13.Others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."

14.But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, "You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15.For these aren't drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day³. 16.But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17.'It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18.Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. 19.I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. 20.The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21.It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'⁴

22."Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know, 23.him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24.whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25.For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26.Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope; 27.because you will not leave my soul in Hades⁵, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. 28.You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.'⁶

29."Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30.Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31.he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades⁷, nor did his flesh see decay. 32.This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. 33.Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. 34.For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand, 35.until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'⁸

36."Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

37.Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

38.Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39.For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself." 40.With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"

41.Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. 42.They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. 43.Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44.All who believed were together, and had all things in common. 45.They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 46.Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47.praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.