[20211201] Daily Bible Reading — Day 121

01
Dec

Acts 14; Joshua 22; Job 31

Acts 14

Listen to Acts 14

1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 
3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 
5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, 
6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 
7 And there they preached the gospel. 
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: 
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 
13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 
14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 
15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 
16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 
18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 
19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 
20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 
24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 
25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: 
26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. 
28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Joshua 22

Listen to Joshua 22

1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 
2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you: 
3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 
4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan. 
5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. 
6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents. 
7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, 
8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren. 
9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 
10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 
11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. 
12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. 
13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 
14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. 
15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying, 
16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? 
17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 
18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. 
19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD’S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God. 
20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity. 
21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, 
22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) 
23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it; 
24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? 
25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. 
26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 
27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD. 
28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. 
29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle. 
30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. 
31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD. 
32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 
33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. 
34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.

Job 31

Listen to Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? 
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? 
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; 
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. 
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; 
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. 
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; 
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. 
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. 
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; 
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? 
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;) 
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. 
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; 
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; 
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: 
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. 
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. 
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. 
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller. 
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: 
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? 
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. 
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. 
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. 
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; 
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: 
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.