Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Daily Readings for August 30
Click the arrow above to the left of the audio strip to start audio for today
2Kings 4
1.Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves."
2.Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me: what do you have in the house?"
She said, "Your handmaid has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil."
3.Then he said, "Go, borrow containers from of all your neighbors, even empty containers. Don't borrow just a few. 4.You shall go in, and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour out into all those containers; and you shall set aside that which is full."
5.So she went from him, and shut the door on her and on her sons; they brought the containers to her, and she poured out. 6.It happened, when the containers were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another container."
He said to her, "There isn't another container." The oil stopped flowing.
7.Then she came and told the man of God. He said, "Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
8.It fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. 9.She said to her husband, "See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passes by us continually. 10.Please let us make a little room on the wall. Let us set for him there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand. It shall be, when he comes to us, that he shall turn in there."
11.One day he came there, and he turned into the room and lay there. 12.He said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." When he had called her, she stood before him. 13.He said to him, "Say now to her, 'Behold, you have cared for us with all this care. What is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the army?'"
She answered, "I dwell among my own people."
14.He said, "What then is to be done for her?"
Gehazi answered, "Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old."
15.He said, "Call her." When he had called her, she stood in the door. 16.He said, "At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son."
She said, "No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid."
17.The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her. 18.When the child was grown, it happened one day that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19.He said to his father, "My head! My head!"
He said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother."
20.When he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. 21.She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door on him, and went out. 22.She called to her husband, and said, "Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God, and come again."
23.He said, "Why would you want go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath."
She said, "It's alright."
24.Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, "Drive, and go forward! Don't slow down for me, unless I ask you to."
25.So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, "Behold, there is the Shunammite. 26.Please run now to meet her, and ask her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?'"
She answered, "It is well."
27.When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, "Leave her alone; for her soul is troubled within her; and Yahweh has hidden it from me, and has not told me."
28.Then she said, "Did I desire a son of my lord? Didn't I say, Do not deceive me?"
29.Then he said to Gehazi, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand, and go your way. If you meet any man, don't greet him; and if anyone greets you, don't answer him again. Then lay my staff on the face of the child."
30.The mother of the child said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you."
He arose, and followed her.
31.Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, "The child has not awakened."
32.When Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid on his bed. 33.He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. 34.He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child grew warm. 35.Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36.He called Gehazi, and said, "Call this Shunammite!" So he called her.
When she had come in to him, he said, "Take up your son."
37.Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.
38.Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, "Set on the great pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
39.One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of stew; for they didn't recognize them. 40.So they poured out for the men to eat. It happened, as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out, and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" They could not eat of it.
41.But he said, "Then bring meal." He cast it into the pot; and he said, "Pour out for the people, that they may eat." There was no harm in the pot.
42.A man from Baal Shalishah came, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, "Give to the people, that they may eat."
43.His servant said, "What, should I set this before a hundred men?"
But he said, "Give the people, that they may eat; for thus says Yahweh, 'They will eat, and will have some left over.'"
44.So he set it before them, and they ate, and left some of it, according to the word of Yahweh.
Jeremiah 52
1.Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3.For through the anger of Yahweh it happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4.It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. 5.So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 6.In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 7.Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were against the city all around;) and they went toward the Arabah. 8.But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 9.Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment on him. 10.The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he killed also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11.He put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison until the day of his death. 12.Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem: 13.and he burned the house of Yahweh, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned he with fire. 14.All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around. 15.Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest of the people, and the residue of the people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude. 16.But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vineyard keepers and farmers. 17.The Chaldeans broke the pillars of brass that were in the house of Yahweh, and the bases and the bronze sea that were in the house of Yahweh in pieces, and carried all the of their brass to Babylon. 18.They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered. 19.The captain of the guard took away the cups, the fire pans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the spoons, and the bowls; that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver. 20.They took the two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh. The brass of all these vessels was without weight. 21.As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of twelve cubits encircled it; and its thickness was four fingers. It was hollow. 22.A capital of brass was on it; and the height of the one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of brass: and the second pillar also had like these, and pomegranates. 23.There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were one hundred on the network all around. 24.The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: 25.and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and seven men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26.Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 27.The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land. 28.This is the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand twenty-three Jews; 29.in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty-two persons; 30.in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty-five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred. 31.It happened in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the [first] year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison; 32.and he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon, 33.and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate bread before him continually all the days of his life: 34.and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
1Corinthians 12
1.Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant. 2.You know that when you were heathen13, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. 3.Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit. 4.Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5.There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6.There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7.But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8.For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9.to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10.and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11.But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.
12.For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13.For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. 14.For the body is not one member, but many. 15.If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body. 16.If the ear would say, "Because I'm not the eye, I'm not part of the body," it's not therefore not part of the body. 17.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 18.But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. 19.If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20.But now they are many members, but one body. 21.The eye can't tell the hand, "I have no need for you," or again the head to the feet, "I have no need for you." 22.No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23.Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; 24.whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, 25.that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26.When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27.Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28.God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. 29.Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30.Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? 31.But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
1Corinthians 13
1.If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2.If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. 3.If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.
4.Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 5.doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6.doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7.bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9.For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10.but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 11.When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 12.For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. 13.But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.