[20220119] Daily Bible Reading — Day 170

19
Jan

Mark 4:21-41; 2 Samuel 11; 2 Samuel 12; Daniel 6

Mark 4:21-41

Listen to Mark 4

21 And he said unto them,Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 
24 And he said unto them,Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 
26 And he said,So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. 
30 And he said,Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. 
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them,Let us pass over unto the other side. 
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 
40 And he said unto them,Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

2 Samuel 11

Listen to 2 Samuel 11

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 
3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 
8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 
10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 
11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 
12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. 
13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. 
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 
17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 
18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 
19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 
20 And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 
21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 
22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 
23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 
24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 
25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

2 Samuel 12

Listen to 2 Samuel 12

1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 
5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 
8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 
15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? 
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. 
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. 
26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. 
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. 
29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. 
30 And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. 
31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Daniel 6

Listen to Daniel 6

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. 
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.