Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Exodus 2:11–3:22; Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; and Proverbs 5:7-14. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Exodus 2:11-3:22 (Contemporary English Version)
Moses Escapes from Egypt
11After Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were hard at work, and he saw an Egyptian beating one of them. 12Moses looked around to see if anyone was watching, then he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. 13When Moses went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting. So he went to the man who had started the fight and asked, " Why are you beating up one of your own people?"
14The man answered, " Who put you in charge of us and made you our judge? Are you planning to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian?"
This frightened Moses because he was sure that people must have found out what had happened. 15When the king a<="" value="[a]" >[] heard what Moses had done, the king wanted to kill him. But Moses escaped and went to the land of Midian. One day, Moses was sitting there by a well, 16when the seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, [b<="">]came up to water their father's sheep and goats. 17Some shepherds tried to chase them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their animals. 18When Jethro's daughters returned home, their father asked, " Why have you come back so early today?" 19They answered, " An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds, and he even watered our sheep and goats."
20" Where is he?" Jethro asked. " Why did you leave him out there? Invite him to eat with us."
21Moses agreed to stay on with Jethro, who later let his daughter Zipporah marry Moses. 22And when she had a son, Moses said, " I will name him Gershom, [c<="">] since I am a foreigner in this country." 23After the death of the king of Egypt, the Israelites still complained because they were forced to be slaves. They cried out for help, 24and God heard their loud cries. He did not forget the promise he had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 25and because he knew what was happening to his people, he felt sorry for them.
14The man answered, " Who put you in charge of us and made you our judge? Are you planning to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian?"
This frightened Moses because he was sure that people must have found out what had happened. 15When the king a<="" value="[a]" >[] heard what Moses had done, the king wanted to kill him. But Moses escaped and went to the land of Midian. One day, Moses was sitting there by a well, 16when the seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, [b<="">]came up to water their father's sheep and goats. 17Some shepherds tried to chase them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their animals. 18When Jethro's daughters returned home, their father asked, " Why have you come back so early today?" 19They answered, " An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds, and he even watered our sheep and goats."
20" Where is he?" Jethro asked. " Why did you leave him out there? Invite him to eat with us."
21Moses agreed to stay on with Jethro, who later let his daughter Zipporah marry Moses. 22And when she had a son, Moses said, " I will name him Gershom, [c<="">] since I am a foreigner in this country." 23After the death of the king of Egypt, the Israelites still complained because they were forced to be slaves. They cried out for help, 24and God heard their loud cries. He did not forget the promise he had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 25and because he knew what was happening to his people, he felt sorry for them.
Exodus 3
God Speaks to Moses
1One day, Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and Moses decided to lead them across the desert to Sinai, [d<="">] the holy mountain. 2There an angel of the LORD appeared to him from a burning bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up. 3" This is strange!" he said to himself. " I'll go over and see why the bush isn't burning up." 4When the LORD saw Moses coming near the bush, he called him by name, and Moses answered, " Here I am." 5God replied, " Don't come any closer. Take off your sandals--the ground where you are standing is holy. 6I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face.
7The LORD said:
I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them, 8and I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians.
I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. 9My people have begged for my help, and I have seen how cruel the Egyptians are to them. 10Now go to the king! I am sending you to lead my people out of his country.
11But Moses said, " Who am I to go to the king and lead your people out of Egypt?"
12God replied, " I will be with you. And you will know that I am the one who sent you, when you worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt." [e<="">]13Moses answered, " I will tell the people of Israel that the God their ancestors worshiped has sent me to them. But what should I say, if they ask me your name?"
14-15God said to Moses:
I am the eternal God. So tell them that the LORD, [f<="">] whose name is " I Am," has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on. 16Call together the leaders of Israel and tell them that the God who was worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to you. Tell them I have seen how terribly they are being treated in Egypt, 17and I promise to lead them out of their troubles. I will give them a land rich with milk and honey, where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
18The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you must take them to the king of Egypt and say, " The LORD God of the Hebrews has appeared to us. Let us walk three days into the desert, where we can offer a sacrifice to him." 19But I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless something forces him to. 20So I will use my mighty power to perform all kinds of miracles and strike down the Egyptians. Then the king will send you away.
21After I punish the Egyptians, they will be so afraid of you that they will give you anything you want. You are my people, and I will let you take many things with you when you leave the land of Egypt. 22Every Israelite woman will go to her Egyptian neighbors or to any Egyptian woman living in her house. She will ask them for gold and silver jewelry and for their finest clothes. The Egyptians will give them to you, and you will put these fine things on your sons and daughters. You will carry all this away when you leave Egypt.
Footnotes:- Exodus 2:15the king: See the note at 1.11.
- Exodus 2:16Jethro, the priest of Midian: Hebrew " the priest of Midian." But see 3.1; 4.18; 18.1,2-4 where his name is given. In the Hebrew of verse 18 he is spoken of as " Reuel," which may have been the name of the tribe to which Jethro belonged.
- Exodus 2:22Gershom: In Hebrew " Gershom" sounds like " foreigner."
- Exodus 3:1Sinai: The Hebrew text has " Horeb," another name for Sinai.
- Exodus 3:12I will be with you. . . out of Egypt: Or " I will be with you. This bush is a sign that I am the one sending you, and it is a promise that you will worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt."
- Exodus 3:14LORD: The Hebrew text has " Yahweh," which is usually translated " LORD" in the CEV. Since it seems related to the word translated " I am," it may mean " I am the one who is" or " I will be what I will be" or " I am the one who brings into being."
Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face.
7The LORD said:
I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them, 8and I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians.
I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. 9My people have begged for my help, and I have seen how cruel the Egyptians are to them. 10Now go to the king! I am sending you to lead my people out of his country.
11But Moses said, " Who am I to go to the king and lead your people out of Egypt?"
12God replied, " I will be with you. And you will know that I am the one who sent you, when you worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt." [e<="">]13Moses answered, " I will tell the people of Israel that the God their ancestors worshiped has sent me to them. But what should I say, if they ask me your name?"
14-15God said to Moses:
I am the eternal God. So tell them that the LORD, [f<="">] whose name is " I Am," has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on. 16Call together the leaders of Israel and tell them that the God who was worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to you. Tell them I have seen how terribly they are being treated in Egypt, 17and I promise to lead them out of their troubles. I will give them a land rich with milk and honey, where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
18The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you must take them to the king of Egypt and say, " The LORD God of the Hebrews has appeared to us. Let us walk three days into the desert, where we can offer a sacrifice to him." 19But I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless something forces him to. 20So I will use my mighty power to perform all kinds of miracles and strike down the Egyptians. Then the king will send you away.
21After I punish the Egyptians, they will be so afraid of you that they will give you anything you want. You are my people, and I will let you take many things with you when you leave the land of Egypt. 22Every Israelite woman will go to her Egyptian neighbors or to any Egyptian woman living in her house. She will ask them for gold and silver jewelry and for their finest clothes. The Egyptians will give them to you, and you will put these fine things on your sons and daughters. You will carry all this away when you leave Egypt.
Footnotes:
- Exodus 2:15the king: See the note at 1.11.
- Exodus 2:16Jethro, the priest of Midian: Hebrew " the priest of Midian." But see 3.1; 4.18; 18.1,2-4 where his name is given. In the Hebrew of verse 18 he is spoken of as " Reuel," which may have been the name of the tribe to which Jethro belonged.
- Exodus 2:22Gershom: In Hebrew " Gershom" sounds like " foreigner."
- Exodus 3:1Sinai: The Hebrew text has " Horeb," another name for Sinai.
- Exodus 3:12I will be with you. . . out of Egypt: Or " I will be with you. This bush is a sign that I am the one sending you, and it is a promise that you will worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt."
- Exodus 3:14LORD: The Hebrew text has " Yahweh," which is usually translated " LORD" in the CEV. Since it seems related to the word translated " I am," it may mean " I am the one who is" or " I will be what I will be" or " I am the one who brings into being."
Matthew 17:10-27 (Contemporary English Version)
10The disciples asked Jesus, "Don't the teachers of the Law of Moses say that Elijah must come before the Messiah does?"
11Jesus told them, "Elijah certainly will come and get everything ready. 12In fact, he has already come. But the people did not recognize him and treated him just as they wanted to. They will soon make the Son of Man suffer in the same way." 13Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptist.
11Jesus told them, "Elijah certainly will come and get everything ready. 12In fact, he has already come. But the people did not recognize him and treated him just as they wanted to. They will soon make the Son of Man suffer in the same way." 13Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy
(Mark 9.14-29; Luke 9.37-43a)
14Jesus and his disciples returned to the crowd. A man knelt in front of him 15and said, "Lord, have pity on my son! He has a bad case of epilepsy and often falls into a fire or into water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but none of them could heal him." 17Jesus said, "You people are too stubborn to have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here." 18Then Jesus spoke sternly to the demon. It went out of the boy, and right then he was healed.
19Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, "Why couldn't we force out the demon?"
20-21Jesus replied:
It is because you don't have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you. a<="" value="[a]" >[]
19Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, "Why couldn't we force out the demon?"
20-21Jesus replied:
It is because you don't have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you. a<="" value="[a]" >[]
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Mark 9.30-32; Luke 9.43b-45)
22While Jesus and his disciples were going from place to place in Galilee, he told them, "The Son of Man will be handed over to people 23who will kill him. But three days later he will rise to life." All of this made the disciples very sad.
Paying the Temple Tax
24When Jesus and the others arrived in Capernaum, the collectors for the temple tax came to Peter and asked, "Does your teacher pay the temple tax?" 25"Yes, he does," Peter answered.
After they had returned home, Jesus went up to Peter and asked him, "Simon, what do you think? Do the kings of this earth collect taxes and fees from their own people or from foreigners?" [b<="">]26Peter answered, "From foreigners."
Jesus replied, "Then their own people [c<="">] don't have to pay. 27But we don't want to cause trouble. So go cast a line into the lake and pull out the first fish you hook. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Use it to pay your taxes and mine." Footnotes:- Matthew 17:20for you: Some manuscripts add, "But the only way to force out that kind of demon is by praying and going without eating."
- Matthew 17:25from their own people or from foreigners: Or "from their children or from others."
- Matthew 17:26From foreigners. . . their own people: Or "From other people. . . their children."
After they had returned home, Jesus went up to Peter and asked him, "Simon, what do you think? Do the kings of this earth collect taxes and fees from their own people or from foreigners?" [b<="">]26Peter answered, "From foreigners."
Jesus replied, "Then their own people [c<="">] don't have to pay. 27But we don't want to cause trouble. So go cast a line into the lake and pull out the first fish you hook. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Use it to pay your taxes and mine."
Footnotes:
- Matthew 17:20for you: Some manuscripts add, "But the only way to force out that kind of demon is by praying and going without eating."
- Matthew 17:25from their own people or from foreigners: Or "from their children or from others."
- Matthew 17:26From foreigners. . . their own people: Or "From other people. . . their children."
Psalm 22:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 22
(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "A Deer at Dawn." )
Suffering and Praise
1My God, my God, why have you deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
2I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.
3Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
4Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
5When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.
6But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
7Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
8and say,
"Trust the LORD!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe."
9You, LORD, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.
11Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan a<="" value="[a]" >[] are everywhere.
13My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.
14I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.
16Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at [b<="">] my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18They took my clothes
and gambled for them.
Footnotes:- Psalm 22:12Bashan: A land east of the Jordan River, where there were pastures suitable for raising fine cattle.
- Psalm 22:16tearing at: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
2I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.
3Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
4Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
5When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.
6But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
7Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
8and say,
"Trust the LORD!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe."
9You, LORD, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.
11Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan a<="" value="[a]" >[] are everywhere.
13My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.
14I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.
16Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at [b<="">] my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18They took my clothes
and gambled for them.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 22:12Bashan: A land east of the Jordan River, where there were pastures suitable for raising fine cattle.
- Psalm 22:16tearing at: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Proverbs 5:7-14 (Contemporary English Version)
7My son, listen to me
and do everything I say.
8Stay away from a bad woman!
Don't even go near the door
of her house.
9You will lose your self-respect
and end up in debt
to some cruel person
for the rest of your life.
10Strangers will get your money
and everything else
you have worked for.
11When it's all over,
your body will waste away,
as you groan 12and shout,
"I hated advice and correction!
13I paid no attention
to my teachers,
14and now I am disgraced
in front of everyone."
and do everything I say.
8Stay away from a bad woman!
Don't even go near the door
of her house.
9You will lose your self-respect
and end up in debt
to some cruel person
for the rest of your life.
10Strangers will get your money
and everything else
you have worked for.
11When it's all over,
your body will waste away,
as you groan 12and shout,
"I hated advice and correction!
13I paid no attention
to my teachers,
14and now I am disgraced
in front of everyone."
Thought for the Day
“Be humble in the Lord's presence, and he will honor you.” (James 4:10 - Contemporary English Version) Arrogant people shouldn't be confused when they fail to grow both spiritually and socially. You see, God loves humility. And when you get right down to it, so do most people.
Quote for the Day
Church of England cleric and theologian, David Edward Jenkins wrote, “No statement about God is simply, literally true. God is far more than can be measured, described, defined in ordinary language, or pinned down to any particular happening.”
A Joke for Today
There were two elderly people living in Trailer Estates, a Florida mobile home park. He was a widower and she a widow. They had known one another for a number of years.
One evening there was a community supper in the big activity center. The two were at the same table, across from one another. As the meal went on, he made a few admiring glances at her and finally gathered his courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"
After about six seconds of 'careful consideration', she answered. "Yes. Yes, I will." The meal ended and, with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went to their respective places.
Next morning, he was troubled. "Did she say 'yes' or did she say 'no'?" He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he just could not recall. Not even a faint memory. With trepidation, he went to the telephone and called her. First, he explained that he didn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the lovely evening past. As he gained a little more courage, he inquired, "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes' or did you say 'No'?"
He was delighted to hear her say, "Why, I said, 'Yes, yes I will' and I meant it with all my heart." Then she continued, "I am so glad that you called, because I couldn't remember who had asked me."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That loving families would be valued and protected by all authorities in this nation.
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