Daily Readings for August 5
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2Samuel 23

 

1.Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2."The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. 3.The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, 4.shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.' 5.Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn't make it grow. 6.But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't be taken with the hand, 7.But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place."

8.These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. 9.After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. 10.He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil. 11.After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12.But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory. 13.Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14.David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15.David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"

16.The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh. 17.He said, "Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn't it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. 18.Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 19.Wasn't he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn't attain to the three. 20.Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 21.He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22.Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men. 23.He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn't attain to the three. David set him over his guard. 24.Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25.Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26.Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27.Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28.Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29.Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30.Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. 31.Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32.Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33.Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34.Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35.Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36.Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37.Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38.Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39.Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

 

Jeremiah 26

 

1.In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from Yahweh, saying, 2.Thus says Yahweh: Stand in the court of Yahweh's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Yahweh's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them; don't diminish a word. 3.It may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings. 4.You shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, 5.to listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, even rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened; 6.then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. 7.The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Yahweh. 8.It happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, You shall surely die. 9.Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahweh, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant? All the people were gathered to Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh. 10.When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Yahweh; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahweh's [house]. 11.Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears. 12.Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13.Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Yahweh your God; and Yahweh will repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you. 14.But as for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes. 15.Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for of a truth Yahweh has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears. 16.Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God. 17.Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18.Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Armies: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. 19.Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn't he fear Yahweh, and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls. 20.There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah: 21.and when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt: 22.and Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt; 23.and they fetched forth Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. 24.But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

 

Romans 15

 

1.Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2.Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 3.For even Christ didn't please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."[65] 4.For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5.Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, 6.that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7.Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you,⁶⁶ to the glory of God. 8.Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9.and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."[67]

10.Again he says, "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."[68]

11.Again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him."[69]

12.Again, Isaiah says, "There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope."[70]

13.Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 14.I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers⁷¹, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15.But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, 16.that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17.I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18.For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19.in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 20.yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another's foundation. 21.But, as it is written, "They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven't heard will understand."[72]

22.Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 23.but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 24.whenever I journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25.But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26.For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. 27.Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things. 28.When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29.I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

30.Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31.that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; 32.that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest. 33.Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

 

Romans 16

 

1.I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant⁷³ of the assembly that is at Cenchreae, 2.that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.

3.Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4.who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles. 5.Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 6.Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7.Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8.Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9.Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10.Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11.Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12.Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 13.Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14.Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers⁷⁴ who are with them. 15.Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16.Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.

17.Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. 18.For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent. 19.For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil. 20.And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21.Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 22.I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord. 23.Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother. 24.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen. 25.[75] 26.Not present in this version 27.Not present in this version

 

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