March 30  

Daily Bible in a Year

Daily Old and New Testaments, Psalms, and Proverbs

  •    Deuteronomy 13-15
    Deuteronomy 13-15

    13 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lordyour God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil[a] from your midst.
    “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace[b] or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known,some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.
    12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to dwell there, 13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, 15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction,[c] all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17 None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers, 18 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.

    Clean and Unclean Food
    14 “You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
    “You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex,[d]the antelope, and the mountain sheep. Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.
    “Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. 10 And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.
    11 “You may eat all clean birds. 12 But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle,[e] the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 13 the kite, the falcon of any kind;14 every raven of any kind; 15 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; 16 the little owl and the short-eared owl, the barn owl 17 and the tawny owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant, 18 the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat. 19 And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. 20 All clean winged things you may eat.
    21 “You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.
    “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

    Tithes
    22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.
    28 “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lordyour God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

    The Sabbatical Year
    15 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord's release has been proclaimed. Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release. But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. For the Lord your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.
    “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly[f] on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin.10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
    12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold[g] to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave[h] forever. And to your female slave[i] you shall do the same. 18 It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
    19 “All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and flock you shall dedicate to the Lord your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You shall eat it, you and your household, before the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. 21 But if it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. 22 You shall eat it within your towns. The unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or a deer.23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

    Footnotes:
    1. Deuteronomy 13:5 Or evil person
    2. Deuteronomy 13:6 Hebrew the wife of your bosom
    3. Deuteronomy 13:15 That is, setting apart (devoting) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
    4. Deuteronomy 14:5 Or addax
    5. Deuteronomy 14:12 The identity of many of these birds is uncertain
    6. Deuteronomy 15:9 Or be evil; also verse 10
    7. Deuteronomy 15:12 Or sells himself
    8. Deuteronomy 15:17 Or servant; the Hebrew term ‘ebed designates a range of social and economic roles (see Preface)
    9. Deuteronomy 15:17 Or servant
  •   Luke 8:40-9:6
    Luke 8:40-9:6

    Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter
    40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
    As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[a] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[b] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
    49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

    Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
    And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.[c] And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

    Footnotes:
    1. Luke 8:43 Some manuscripts omit and though she had spent all her living on physicians
    2. Luke 8:45 Some manuscripts add and those who were with him
    3. Luke 9:3 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
  •   Psalm 71
    Psalm 71

    Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

    71 
    In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
        let me never be put to shame!


    In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
        incline your ear to me, and save me!


    Be to me a rock of refuge,
        to which I may continually come;
    you have given the command to save me,
        for you are my rock and my fortress.


    Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
        from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.


    For you, O Lord, are my hope,
        my trust, O Lord, from my youth.


    Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
        you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
    My praise is continually of you.


    I have been as a portent to many,
        but you are my strong refuge.


    My mouth is filled with your praise,
        and with your glory all the day.


    Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
        forsake me not when my strength is spent.

    10 
    For my enemies speak concerning me;
        those who watch for my life consult together

    11 
    and say, “God has forsaken him;
        pursue and seize him,
        for there is none to deliver him.”

    12 
    O God, be not far from me;
        O my God, make haste to help me!

    13 
    May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
        with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
        who seek my hurt.

    14 
    But I will hope continually
        and will praise you yet more and more.

    15 
    My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
        of your deeds of salvation all the day,
        for their number is past my knowledge.

    16 
    With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
        I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

    17 
    O God, from my youth you have taught me,
        and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

    18 
    So even to old age and gray hairs,
        O God, do not forsake me,
    until I proclaim your might to another generation,
        your power to all those to come.

    19 
    Your righteousness, O God,
        reaches the high heavens.
    You who have done great things,
        O God, who is like you?

    20 
    You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
        will revive me again;
    from the depths of the earth
        you will bring me up again.

    21 
    You will increase my greatness
        and comfort me again.

    22 
    I will also praise you with the harp
        for your faithfulness, O my God;
    I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
        O Holy One of Israel.

    23 
    My lips will shout for joy,
        when I sing praises to you;
        my soul also, which you have redeemed.

    24 
    And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
    for they have been put to shame and disappointed
        who sought to do me hurt.
  •   Proverbs 12:5-7

    Proverbs 12:5-7


    The thoughts of the righteous are just;

        the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.


    The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,

        but the mouth of the upright delivers them.


    The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

        but the house of the righteous will stand.



    English Standard Version (ESV)
    The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.


Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.