Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Deuteronomy 29:1–30:20; Luke 11:37–12:7; Psalm 78:1-31; and Proverbs 12:19-20. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Deuteronomy 29-30:20 (Contemporary English Version)
Deuteronomy 29
The Agreement in Moab
1So Moses finished telling the Israelites what they had to do in order to keep the agreement the LORD was making with them in Moab, which was in addition to the one the LORD had made with them at Mount Sinai. [a] The LORD Is Your God
THE THIRD SPEECH: ISRAEL MUST KEEP ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE LORD
2-3Moses called the nation of Israel together and told them: When you were in Egypt, you saw the LORD perform great miracles that caused trouble for the king, his officials, and everyone else in the country. 4-6He has even told you, " For forty years I, the LORD, led you through the desert, but your clothes and your sandals didn't wear out, and I gave you special food. [b] I did these things so you would realize that I am your God." But the LORD must give you a change of heart before you truly understand what you have seen and heard.
7When we first camped here, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan attacked, but we defeated them. 8Then we captured their land and divided it among the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh.
7When we first camped here, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan attacked, but we defeated them. 8Then we captured their land and divided it among the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh.
Keep the Agreement
Moses said:
9Israel, the LORD has made an agreement with you, and if you keep your part, you will be successful in everything you do. 10-12Today everyone in our nation is standing here in the LORD's presence, including leaders and officials, parents and children, and even those foreigners who cut wood and carry water for us. We are at this place of worship to promise that we will keep our part of the agreement with the LORD our God. 13-15In this agreement, the LORD promised that you would be his people and that he would be your God. He first made this promise to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and today the LORD is making this same promise to you. But it isn't just for you; it is also for your descendants.
16-17When we lived in Egypt, you saw the Egyptians worship disgusting idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold. Then as we traveled through other nations, you saw those people worship other disgusting idols. 18So make sure that everyone in your tribe remains faithful to the LORD and never starts worshiping gods of other nations.
If even one of you worships idols, you will be like the root of a plant that produces bitter, poisonous fruit. 19You may be an Israelite and know all about the LORD's agreement with us, but he won't bless you if you rebel against him. You may think you can get away with it, but you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you. [c] 20-21The LORD will be furious, and instead of forgiving you, he will separate you from the other tribes. Then he will destroy you, by piling on you all the curses in The Book of God's Law, and you will be forgotten forever. 22The LORD will strike your country with diseases and disasters. Your descendants and foreigners from distant countries will see that your land 23has become a scorching desert of salt and sulfur, where nothing is planted, nothing sprouts, and nothing grows. It will be as lifeless as the land around the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, after the LORD became angry and destroyed them. [d] 24People from other nations will ask, " Why did the LORD destroy this country? Why was he so furious?"
25And they will be given this answer:
Our ancestors worshiped the LORD, but after he brought them out of Egypt and made an agreement with them, they rejected the agreement 26and decided to worship gods that had never helped them. The LORD had forbidden Israel to worship these gods, 27-28and so he became furious and punished the land with all the curses in The Book of God's Law. Then he pulled up Israel by the roots and tossed them into a foreign country, where they still are today.
29The LORD our God hasn't explained the present or the future, but he has commanded us to obey the laws he gave to us and our descendants.
16-17When we lived in Egypt, you saw the Egyptians worship disgusting idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold. Then as we traveled through other nations, you saw those people worship other disgusting idols. 18So make sure that everyone in your tribe remains faithful to the LORD and never starts worshiping gods of other nations.
If even one of you worships idols, you will be like the root of a plant that produces bitter, poisonous fruit. 19You may be an Israelite and know all about the LORD's agreement with us, but he won't bless you if you rebel against him. You may think you can get away with it, but you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you. [c] 20-21The LORD will be furious, and instead of forgiving you, he will separate you from the other tribes. Then he will destroy you, by piling on you all the curses in The Book of God's Law, and you will be forgotten forever. 22The LORD will strike your country with diseases and disasters. Your descendants and foreigners from distant countries will see that your land 23has become a scorching desert of salt and sulfur, where nothing is planted, nothing sprouts, and nothing grows. It will be as lifeless as the land around the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, after the LORD became angry and destroyed them. [d] 24People from other nations will ask, " Why did the LORD destroy this country? Why was he so furious?"
25And they will be given this answer:
Our ancestors worshiped the LORD, but after he brought them out of Egypt and made an agreement with them, they rejected the agreement 26and decided to worship gods that had never helped them. The LORD had forbidden Israel to worship these gods, 27-28and so he became furious and punished the land with all the curses in The Book of God's Law. Then he pulled up Israel by the roots and tossed them into a foreign country, where they still are today.
29The LORD our God hasn't explained the present or the future, but he has commanded us to obey the laws he gave to us and our descendants.
Deuteronomy 30
The LORD Will Bring You Back
Moses said to Israel:
1I have told you everything the LORD your God will do for you, and I've also told you the curses he will put on you if you reject him. He will scatter you in faraway countries, but when you realize that he is punishing you, 2return to him with all your heart and soul and start obeying the commands I have given to you today. 3-4Then he will stop punishing you and treat you with kindness. He may have scattered you to the farthest countries on earth, but he will bring you back 5to the land that had belonged to your ancestors and make you even more successful and powerful than they ever were. 6You and your descendants are stubborn, but the LORD will make you willing to obey him and love him with all your heart and soul, and you will enjoy a long life.
7Then the LORD your God will remove the curses from you and put them on those enemies who hate and attack you.
8You will again obey the laws and teachings of the LORD, 9and he will bless you with many children, large herds and flocks, and abundant crops. The LORD will be happy to do good things for you, just as he did for your ancestors. 10But you must decide once and for all to worship him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in The Book of God's Law.
7Then the LORD your God will remove the curses from you and put them on those enemies who hate and attack you.
8You will again obey the laws and teachings of the LORD, 9and he will bless you with many children, large herds and flocks, and abundant crops. The LORD will be happy to do good things for you, just as he did for your ancestors. 10But you must decide once and for all to worship him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in The Book of God's Law.
Choose Life, Not Death
Moses said to Israel:
11You know God's laws, and it isn't impossible to obey them. 12His commands aren't in heaven, so you can't excuse yourselves by saying, " How can we obey the LORD's commands? They are in heaven, and no one can go up to get them, then bring them down and explain them to us." 13And you can't say, " How can we obey the LORD's commands? They are across the sea, and someone must go across, then bring them back and explain them to us." 14No, these commands are nearby and you know them by heart. All you have to do is obey! 15Today I am giving you a choice. You can choose life and success or death and disaster. 16-18I am commanding you to be loyal to the LORD, to live the way he has told you, and to obey his laws and teachings. You are about to cross the Jordan River and take the land that he is giving you. If you obey him, you will live and become successful and powerful.
On the other hand, you might choose to disobey the LORD and reject him. So I'm warning you that if you bow down and worship other gods, you won't have long to live.
19Right now I call the sky and the earth to be witnesses that I am offering you this choice. Will you choose for the LORD to make you prosperous and give you a long life? Or will he put you under a curse and kill you? Choose life! 20Be completely faithful to the LORD your God, love him, and do whatever he tells you. The LORD is the only one who can give life, and he will let you live a long time in the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Joshua Is Appointed the Leader of Israel
Footnotes:- Deuteronomy 29:1 Mount Sinai: See the note at 1.1-5.
- Deuteronomy 29:4 I gave. . . food: Hebrew " you didn't eat bread or drink any wine or beer."
- Deuteronomy 29:19 you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you: Hebrew " The mud will be swept away as well as the dust."
- Deuteronomy 29:23 Sodom. . . destroyed them: See Genesis 18.16-28.
On the other hand, you might choose to disobey the LORD and reject him. So I'm warning you that if you bow down and worship other gods, you won't have long to live.
19Right now I call the sky and the earth to be witnesses that I am offering you this choice. Will you choose for the LORD to make you prosperous and give you a long life? Or will he put you under a curse and kill you? Choose life! 20Be completely faithful to the LORD your God, love him, and do whatever he tells you. The LORD is the only one who can give life, and he will let you live a long time in the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Joshua Is Appointed the Leader of Israel
Footnotes:
- Deuteronomy 29:1 Mount Sinai: See the note at 1.1-5.
- Deuteronomy 29:4 I gave. . . food: Hebrew " you didn't eat bread or drink any wine or beer."
- Deuteronomy 29:19 you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you: Hebrew " The mud will be swept away as well as the dust."
- Deuteronomy 29:23 Sodom. . . destroyed them: See Genesis 18.16-28.
Luke 11:37-12:7 (Contemporary English Version)
Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law of Moses
(Matthew 23.1-36; Mark 12.38-40; Luke 20.45-47)
37When Jesus finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him home for a meal. Jesus went and sat down to eat. [a] 38The Pharisee was surprised that he did not wash his hands [b] before eating. 39So the Lord said to him: You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes, but on the inside you are greedy and evil. 40You fools! Didn't God make both the outside and the inside? [c] 41If you would only give what you have to the poor, everything you do would please God. 42You Pharisees are in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your gardens, such as mint and rue. But you cheat people, and you don't love God. You should be fair and kind to others and still give a tenth to God. 43You Pharisees are in for trouble! You love the front seats in the meeting places, and you like to be greeted with honor in the market. 44But you are in for trouble! You are like unmarked graves [d] that people walk on without even knowing it. 45A teacher of the Law of Moses spoke up, "Teacher, you said cruel things about us."
46Jesus replied:
You teachers are also in for trouble! You load people down with heavy burdens, but you won't lift a finger to help them carry the loads. 47Yes, you are really in for trouble. You build monuments to honor the prophets your own people murdered long ago. 48You must think that was the right thing for your people to do, or else you would not have built monuments for the prophets they murdered.
49Because of your evil deeds, the Wisdom of God said, "I will send prophets and apostles to you. But you will murder some and mistreat others." 50You people living today will be punished for all the prophets who have been murdered since the beginning of the world. 51This includes every prophet from the time of Abel to the time of Zechariah, [e] who was murdered between the altar and the temple. You people will certainly be punished for all of this. 52You teachers of the Law of Moses are really in for trouble! You carry the keys to the door of knowledge about God. But you never go in, and you keep others from going in.
53Jesus was about to leave, but the teachers and the Pharisees wanted to get even with him. They tried to make him say what he thought about other things, 54so that they could catch him saying something wrong.
46Jesus replied:
You teachers are also in for trouble! You load people down with heavy burdens, but you won't lift a finger to help them carry the loads. 47Yes, you are really in for trouble. You build monuments to honor the prophets your own people murdered long ago. 48You must think that was the right thing for your people to do, or else you would not have built monuments for the prophets they murdered.
49Because of your evil deeds, the Wisdom of God said, "I will send prophets and apostles to you. But you will murder some and mistreat others." 50You people living today will be punished for all the prophets who have been murdered since the beginning of the world. 51This includes every prophet from the time of Abel to the time of Zechariah, [e] who was murdered between the altar and the temple. You people will certainly be punished for all of this. 52You teachers of the Law of Moses are really in for trouble! You carry the keys to the door of knowledge about God. But you never go in, and you keep others from going in.
53Jesus was about to leave, but the teachers and the Pharisees wanted to get even with him. They tried to make him say what he thought about other things, 54so that they could catch him saying something wrong.
Luke 12
Warnings
1As thousands of people crowded around Jesus and were stepping on each other, he told his disciples: Be sure to guard against the dishonest teaching [f] of the Pharisees! It is their way of fooling people. 2Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 3Whatever you say in the dark will be heard when it is day. Whatever you whisper in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.
The One To Fear
(Matthew 10.28-31)
4My friends, don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but after that, there is nothing else they can do. 5God is the one you must fear. Not only can he take your life, but he can throw you into hell. God is certainly the one you should fear! 6Five sparrows are sold for just two pennies, but God doesn't forget a one of them. 7Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Footnotes:- Luke 11:37 sat down to eat: See the note at 7.36.
- Luke 11:38 did not wash his hands: The Jewish people had strict laws about washing their hands before eating, especially if they had been out in public.
- Luke 11:40 Didn't God make both the outside and the inside: Or " Doesn't the person who washes the outside always wash the inside too?"
- Luke 11:44 unmarked graves: Tombs were whitewashed to keep anyone from accidentally touching them. A person who touched a dead body or a tomb was considered unclean and could not worship with other Jewish people.
- Luke 11:51 from the time of Abel. . . Zechariah: Genesis is the first book in the Jewish Scriptures, and it tells that Abel was the first person to be murdered. Second Chronicles is the last book in the Jewish Scriptures, and the last murder that it tells about is that of Zechariah.
- Luke 12:1 dishonest teaching: The Greek text has " yeast," which is used here of a teaching that is not true (see Matthew 16.6,12).
Footnotes:
- Luke 11:37 sat down to eat: See the note at 7.36.
- Luke 11:38 did not wash his hands: The Jewish people had strict laws about washing their hands before eating, especially if they had been out in public.
- Luke 11:40 Didn't God make both the outside and the inside: Or " Doesn't the person who washes the outside always wash the inside too?"
- Luke 11:44 unmarked graves: Tombs were whitewashed to keep anyone from accidentally touching them. A person who touched a dead body or a tomb was considered unclean and could not worship with other Jewish people.
- Luke 11:51 from the time of Abel. . . Zechariah: Genesis is the first book in the Jewish Scriptures, and it tells that Abel was the first person to be murdered. Second Chronicles is the last book in the Jewish Scriptures, and the last murder that it tells about is that of Zechariah.
- Luke 12:1 dishonest teaching: The Greek text has " yeast," which is used here of a teaching that is not true (see Matthew 16.6,12).
Psalm 78:1-31 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 78
(A special psalm by Asaph.)
What God Has Done for His People
1My friends, I beg you to listen as I teach.
2I will give instruction
and explain the mystery
of what happened long ago.
3These are things we learned
from our ancestors,
4and we will tell them
to the next generation.
We won't keep secret
the glorious deeds
and the mighty miracles
of the LORD.
5God gave his Law
to Jacob's descendants,
the people of Israel.
And he told our ancestors
to teach their children,
6so that each new generation
would know his Law
and tell it to the next.
7Then they would trust God
and obey his teachings,
without forgetting anything
God had done.
8They would be different
from their ancestors,
who were stubborn, rebellious,
and unfaithful to God.
9The warriors from Ephraim
were armed with arrows,
but they ran away
when the battle began.
10They broke their agreement
with God,
and they turned their backs
on his teaching.
11They forgot all he had done,
even the mighty miracles
12he did for their ancestors
near Zoan [a] in Egypt. 13God made a path in the sea
and piled up the water
as he led them across.
14He guided them during the day
with a cloud,
and each night he led them
with a flaming fire.
15God made water flow
from rocks
he split open
in the desert,
and his people drank freely,
as though from a lake.
16He made streams gush out
like rivers from rocks.
17But in the desert,
the people of God Most High
kept sinning and rebelling.
18They stubbornly tested God
and demanded from him
what they wanted to eat.
19They challenged God by saying,
"Can God provide food
out here in the desert?
20It's true God struck the rock
and water gushed out
like a river,
but can he give his people
bread and meat?"
21When the LORD heard this,
he was angry and furious
with Jacob's descendants,
the people of Israel.
22They had refused to trust him,
and they had doubted
his saving power.
23But God gave a command
to the clouds,
and he opened the doors
in the skies.
24From heaven he sent grain
that they called manna. [b] 25He gave them more than enough,
and each one of them ate
this special food.
26God's mighty power
brought a strong wind
from the southeast,
27and it brought birds
that covered the ground,
like sand on the beach.
28Then God made the birds fall
in the camp of his people
near their tents.
29God gave his people
all they wanted,
and each of them ate
until they were full.
30But before they had swallowed
the last bite,
31God became angry and killed
the strongest
and best
from the families of Israel.
Footnotes:- Psalm 78:12 Zoan: A city in the eastern part of the Nile Delta.
- Psalm 78:24 manna: When the people of Israel were wandering through the desert, the Lord gave them a special kind of food to eat. It tasted like a wafer and was called " manna," which in Hebrew means, " What is this?"
2I will give instruction
and explain the mystery
of what happened long ago.
3These are things we learned
from our ancestors,
4and we will tell them
to the next generation.
We won't keep secret
the glorious deeds
and the mighty miracles
of the LORD.
5God gave his Law
to Jacob's descendants,
the people of Israel.
And he told our ancestors
to teach their children,
6so that each new generation
would know his Law
and tell it to the next.
7Then they would trust God
and obey his teachings,
without forgetting anything
God had done.
8They would be different
from their ancestors,
who were stubborn, rebellious,
and unfaithful to God.
9The warriors from Ephraim
were armed with arrows,
but they ran away
when the battle began.
10They broke their agreement
with God,
and they turned their backs
on his teaching.
11They forgot all he had done,
even the mighty miracles
12he did for their ancestors
near Zoan [a] in Egypt. 13God made a path in the sea
and piled up the water
as he led them across.
14He guided them during the day
with a cloud,
and each night he led them
with a flaming fire.
15God made water flow
from rocks
he split open
in the desert,
and his people drank freely,
as though from a lake.
16He made streams gush out
like rivers from rocks.
17But in the desert,
the people of God Most High
kept sinning and rebelling.
18They stubbornly tested God
and demanded from him
what they wanted to eat.
19They challenged God by saying,
"Can God provide food
out here in the desert?
20It's true God struck the rock
and water gushed out
like a river,
but can he give his people
bread and meat?"
21When the LORD heard this,
he was angry and furious
with Jacob's descendants,
the people of Israel.
22They had refused to trust him,
and they had doubted
his saving power.
23But God gave a command
to the clouds,
and he opened the doors
in the skies.
24From heaven he sent grain
that they called manna. [b] 25He gave them more than enough,
and each one of them ate
this special food.
26God's mighty power
brought a strong wind
from the southeast,
27and it brought birds
that covered the ground,
like sand on the beach.
28Then God made the birds fall
in the camp of his people
near their tents.
29God gave his people
all they wanted,
and each of them ate
until they were full.
30But before they had swallowed
the last bite,
31God became angry and killed
the strongest
and best
from the families of Israel.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 78:12 Zoan: A city in the eastern part of the Nile Delta.
- Psalm 78:24 manna: When the people of Israel were wandering through the desert, the Lord gave them a special kind of food to eat. It tasted like a wafer and was called " manna," which in Hebrew means, " What is this?"
Proverbs 12:19-20 (Contemporary English Version)
19Truth will last forever;
lies are soon found out.
20An evil mind is deceitful,
but gentle thoughts
bring happiness.
lies are soon found out.
20An evil mind is deceitful,
but gentle thoughts
bring happiness.
Thought for the Day
“We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That's why we must give our lives for each other.” (1 John 3:16 - Contemporary English Version) Our love for others is shown by the sacrifices we make rather than the words we use. If we want to follow Jesus, we must be willing to offer to those in need some of the blessings he's already given to us.
Quote for the Day
American author who wrote the 1944 novel The Lost Weekend, Charles R. Jackson wrote, “The writer knows his own worth, and to be overvalued can confuse and destroy him as an artist.”
A Joke for Today