Daily Readings for April 13
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Numbers 32

 

1.Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for livestock; 2.the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying, 3."Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4.the land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock." 5.They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; don't bring us over the Jordan."

6.Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here? 7.Why do you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Yahweh has given them? 8.Your fathers did so when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9.For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Yahweh had given them. 10.Yahweh's anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying, 11.'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12.except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have followed Yahweh completely.' 13.Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of Yahweh, was consumed.

14."Behold, you have risen up in your fathers' place, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel. 15.For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people."

16.They came near to him, and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones: 17.but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18.We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19.For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward."

20.Moses said to them, "If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war, 21.and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22.and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh.

23."But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out. 24.Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth."

25.The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, "Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26.Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27.but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before Yahweh to battle, as my lord says."

28.So Moses commanded concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' households of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29.Moses said to them, "If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before Yahweh, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: 30.but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan."

31.The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, "As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do. 32.We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan."

33.Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to its cities and borders, even the cities of the surrounding land. 34.The children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35.and Atrothshophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah, 36.and Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37.The children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38.and Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah: and they gave other names to the cities which they built. 39.The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein. 40.Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein. 41.Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its towns, and called them Havvoth Jair. 42.Nobah went and took Kenath, and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

 

Proverbs 23

 

1.When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you; 2.put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite. 3.Don't be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food. 4.Don't weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint. 5.Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky. 6.Don't eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don't crave his delicacies: 7.for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8.The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

9.Don't speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10.Don't move the ancient boundary stone. Don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless: 11.for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

12.Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge. 13.Don't withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14.Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol⁹.

15.My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine: 16.yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right. 17.Don't let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all the day long. 18.Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off. 19.Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path! 20.Don't be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat: 21.for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags. 22.Listen to your father who gave you life, and don't despise your mother when she is old. 23.Buy the truth, and don't sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding. 24.The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him. 25.Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice! 26.My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways. 27.For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well. 28.Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

29.Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30.Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine. 31.Don't look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. 32.In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper. 33.Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34.Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging: 35."They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don't feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."

 

John 5

 

1.After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2.Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, "Bethesda," having five porches. 3.In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; 4.for an angel went down at certain times into the pool, and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had. 5.A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6.When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to be made well?"

7.The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me."

8.Jesus said to him, "Arise, take up your mat, and walk."

9.Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10.So the Jews said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat."

11.He answered them, "He who made me well, the same said to me, 'Take up your mat, and walk.'"

12.Then they asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your mat, and walk'?"

13.But he who was healed didn't know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.

14.Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you."

15.The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16.For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath. 17.But Jesus answered them, "My Father is still working, so I am working, too." 18.For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19.Jesus therefore answered them, "Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. 20.For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21.For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. 22.For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23.that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn't honor the Son doesn't honor the Father who sent him.

24."Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25.Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God's voice; and those who hear will live. 26.For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27.He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. 28.Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, 29.and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 30.I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

31."If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. 32.It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. 33.You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34.But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. 35.He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36.But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. 37.The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38.You don't have his word living in you; because you don't believe him whom he sent.

39."You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40.Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. 41.I don't receive glory from men. 42.But I know you, that you don't have God's love in yourselves. 43.I have come in my Father's name, and you don't receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44.How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

45."Don't think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46.For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 47.But if you don't believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"

 

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