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Daily Readings for March 17
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Leviticus 25
1.Yahweh said to Moses in Mount Sinai, 2."Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, 'When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to Yahweh. 3.Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruits; 4.but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to Yahweh. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5.What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your undressed vine you shall not gather. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6.The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a foreigner with you. 7.For your livestock also, and for the animals that are in your land, shall all its increase be for food.
8."'You shall count off seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and there shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years. 9.Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10.You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. 11.That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee to you. In it you shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself, nor gather from the undressed vines. 12.For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat of its increase out of the field.
13."'In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his property.
14."'If you sell anything to your neighbor, or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. 15.According to the number of years after the Jubilee you shall buy from your neighbor. According to the number of years of the crops he shall sell to you. 16.According to the length of the years you shall increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you. 17.You shall not wrong one another; but you shall fear your God: for I am Yahweh your God.
18."'Therefore you shall do my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety. 19.The land shall yield its fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. 20.If you said, "What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase;" 21.then I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for the three years. 22.You shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the fruits, the old store; until the ninth year, until its fruits come in, you shall eat the old store.
23."'The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me. 24.In all the land of your possession you shall grant a redemption for the land.
25."'If your brother becomes poor, and sells some of his possessions, then his kinsman who is next to him shall come, and redeem that which his brother has sold. 26.If a man has no one to redeem it, and he becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it; 27.then let him reckon the years since its sale, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property. 28.But if he isn't able to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hand of him who has bought it until the Year of Jubilee: and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.
29."'If a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it has been sold. For a full year he shall have the right of redemption. 30.If it isn't redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to him who bought it, throughout his generations. It shall not be released in the Jubilee. 31.But the houses of the villages which have no wall around them shall be reckoned with the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the Jubilee.
32."'Nevertheless the cities of the Levites, the houses in the cities of their possession, the Levites may redeem at any time. 33.The Levites may redeem the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, and it shall be released in the Jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34.But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.
35."'If your brother has become poor, and his hand can't support him among you; then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident. 36.Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you. 37.You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38.I am Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
39."'If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40.As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee: 41.then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42.For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43.You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.
44."'As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have; of the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45.Moreover of the children of the aliens who live among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46.You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.
47."'If an alien or temporary resident with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him has grown poor, and sells himself to the stranger or foreigner living among you, or to a member of the stranger's family; 48.after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49.or his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any who is a close relative to him of his family may redeem him; or if he has grown rich, he may redeem himself. 50.He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; according to the time of a hired servant shall he be with him. 51.If there are yet many years, according to them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52.If there remain but a few years to the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according to his years of service he shall give back the price of his redemption. 53.As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him: he shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight. 54.If he isn't redeemed by these means, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee, he, and his children with him. 55.For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
Psalm 135
1.Praise Yah! Praise the name of Yahweh! Praise him, you servants of Yahweh, 2.you who stand in the house of Yahweh, in the courts of our God's house. 3.Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4.For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession. 5.For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6.Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps; 7.who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings forth the wind out of his treasuries; 8.Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; 9.Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants; 10.who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings, 11.Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, 12.and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people. 13.Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations. 14.For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants. 15.The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 16.They have mouths, but they can't speak. They have eyes, but they can't see. 17.They have ears, but they can't hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18.Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 19.House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh! 20.House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh! 21.Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, Who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
Psalm 136
1.Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever. 2.Give thanks to the God of gods; for his loving kindness endures forever. 3.Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his loving kindness endures forever: 4.To him who alone does great wonders; for his loving kindness endures forever: 5.To him who by understanding made the heavens; for his loving kindness endures forever: 6.To him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever: 7.To him who made the great lights; for his loving kindness endures forever: 8.The sun to rule by day; for his loving kindness endures forever; 9.The moon and stars to rule by night; for his loving kindness endures forever: 10.To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for his loving kindness endures forever; 11.And brought out Israel from among them; for his loving kindness endures forever; 12.With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; for his loving kindness endures forever: 13.To him who divided the Red Sea43 apart; for his loving kindness endures forever; 14.And made Israel to pass through its midst; for his loving kindness endures forever; 15.But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea44; for his loving kindness endures forever: 16.To him who led his people through the wilderness; for his loving kindness endures forever: 17.To him who struck great kings; for his loving kindness endures forever; 18.And killed mighty kings; for his loving kindness endures forever: 19.Sihon king of the Amorites; for his loving kindness endures forever; 20.Og king of Bashan; for his loving kindness endures forever; 21.And gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever; 22.Even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever: 23.Who remembered us in our low estate; for his loving kindness endures forever; 24.And has delivered us from our adversaries; for his loving kindness endures forever: 25.Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever. 26.Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever.
Luke 8
1.It happened soon afterwards, that he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. With him were the twelve, 2.and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 3.and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them18 from their possessions. 4.When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. 5."The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6.Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7.Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. 8.Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit one hundred times." As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
9.Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?"
10.He said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'19 11.Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12.Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13.Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation. 14.That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15.That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16."No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. 17.For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light. 18.Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has."
19.His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd. 20.It was told him by some saying, "Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you."
21.But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it."
22.Now it happened on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out. 23.But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water. 24.They came to him, and awoke him, saying, "Master, master, we are dying!" He awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and it was calm.20 25.He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Being afraid they marveled, saying one to another, "Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?" 26.They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27.When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn't live in a house, but in the tombs. 28.When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, "What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torment me!" 29.For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
30.Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
He said, "Legion," for many demons had entered into him. 31.They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss. 32.Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. He allowed them. 33.The demons came out from the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34.When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country.
35.People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36.Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed. 37.All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned. 38.But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39."Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you." He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
40.It happened, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41.Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus' feet, and begged him to come into his house, 42.for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him. 43.A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any, 44.came behind him, and touched the fringe21 of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped. 45.Jesus said, "Who touched me?"
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'"
46.But Jesus said, "Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me." 47.When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48.He said to her, "Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
49.While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue's house came, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Don't trouble the Teacher."
50.But Jesus hearing it, answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed."
51.When he came to the house, he didn't allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother. 52.All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, "Don't weep. She isn't dead, but sleeping."
53.They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead. 54.But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, "Child, arise!" 55.Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat. 56.Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.