Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 1 Samuel 2:22–4:22; John 5:24-47; Psalm 106:1-12; and Proverbs 14:30-31. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 (Contemporary English Version)
Eli Warns His Sons
22Eli was now very old, and he heard what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. a<="" value="[a]" >[] 23-24"Why are you doing these awful things?" he asked them. "I've been hearing nothing but complaints about you from all of the LORD's people. 25If you harm another person, God can help make things right between the two of you. But if you commit a crime against the LORD, no one can help you!" But the LORD had already decided to kill them. So he kept them from listening to their father.
A Prophet Speaks to Eli
26Each day the LORD and his people liked Samuel more and more. 27One day a prophet came to Eli and gave him this message from the LORD:
When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I came and showed them who I am. 28-29Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. I wanted them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to me and to find out from me what I want my people to do. I commanded everyone to bring their sacrifices here where I live, and I allowed you and your family to keep those that were not offered to me on the altar.
But you honor your sons instead of me! You don't respect [b<="">] the sacrifices and offerings that are brought to me, and you've all gotten fat from eating the best parts. 30I am the LORD, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me. 31The time will come when I will kill you and everyone else in your family. Not one of you will live to an old age.
32Your family [c<="">] will have a lot of trouble. I will be kind to Israel, [d<="">] but everyone in your family will die young. 33If I let anyone from your family be a priest, his [e<="">] life will be full of sadness and sorrow. But most of the men in your family will die a violent death! [f<="">] 34To prove to you that I will do these things, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day. 35I have chosen someone else to be my priest, someone who will be faithful and obey me. I will always let his family serve as priests and help my chosen king. 36But if anyone is left from your family, he will come to my priest and beg for money or a little bread. He may even say to my priest, "Please let me be a priest, so I will at least have something to eat."
When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I came and showed them who I am. 28-29Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. I wanted them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to me and to find out from me what I want my people to do. I commanded everyone to bring their sacrifices here where I live, and I allowed you and your family to keep those that were not offered to me on the altar.
But you honor your sons instead of me! You don't respect [b<="">] the sacrifices and offerings that are brought to me, and you've all gotten fat from eating the best parts. 30I am the LORD, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me. 31The time will come when I will kill you and everyone else in your family. Not one of you will live to an old age.
32Your family [c<="">] will have a lot of trouble. I will be kind to Israel, [d<="">] but everyone in your family will die young. 33If I let anyone from your family be a priest, his [e<="">] life will be full of sadness and sorrow. But most of the men in your family will die a violent death! [f<="">] 34To prove to you that I will do these things, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day. 35I have chosen someone else to be my priest, someone who will be faithful and obey me. I will always let his family serve as priests and help my chosen king. 36But if anyone is left from your family, he will come to my priest and beg for money or a little bread. He may even say to my priest, "Please let me be a priest, so I will at least have something to eat."
1 Samuel 3
The LORD Speaks to Samuel
1-2Samuel served the LORD by helping Eli the priest, who was by that time almost blind. In those days, the LORD hardly ever spoke directly to people, and he did not appear to them in dreams very often. But one night, Eli was asleep in his room, 3and Samuel was sleeping on a mat near the sacred chest in the LORD's house. They had not been asleep very long [g<="">] 4when the LORD called out Samuel's name. "Here I am!" Samuel answered. 5Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. What do you want?" "I didn't call you," Eli answered. "Go back to bed."
Samuel went back.
6Again the LORD called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you want?"
Eli told him, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep."
7The LORD had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. 8When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, "Here I am. What do you want?"
Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. 9So he said, "Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, `I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?' "
Once again Samuel went back and lay down.
10The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, "Samuel! Samuel!"
"I'm listening," Samuel answered. "What do you want me to do?"
11The LORD said:
Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it! 12I will punish Eli and his family, just as I promised. 13He knew that his sons refused to respect me, [h<="">] and he let them get away with it, even though I said I would punish his family forever. 14I warned Eli that sacrifices or offerings could never make things right! His family has done too many disgusting things. 15The next morning, Samuel got up and opened the doors to the LORD's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said. 16But Eli told him, "Samuel, my boy, come here!"
"Here I am," Samuel answered.
17Eli said, "What did God say to you? Tell me everything. I pray that God will punish you terribly if you don't tell me every word he said!"
18Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD, and he will do what's right."
Samuel went back.
6Again the LORD called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you want?"
Eli told him, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep."
7The LORD had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. 8When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, "Here I am. What do you want?"
Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. 9So he said, "Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, `I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?' "
Once again Samuel went back and lay down.
10The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, "Samuel! Samuel!"
"I'm listening," Samuel answered. "What do you want me to do?"
11The LORD said:
Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it! 12I will punish Eli and his family, just as I promised. 13He knew that his sons refused to respect me, [h<="">] and he let them get away with it, even though I said I would punish his family forever. 14I warned Eli that sacrifices or offerings could never make things right! His family has done too many disgusting things. 15The next morning, Samuel got up and opened the doors to the LORD's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said. 16But Eli told him, "Samuel, my boy, come here!"
"Here I am," Samuel answered.
17Eli said, "What did God say to you? Tell me everything. I pray that God will punish you terribly if you don't tell me every word he said!"
18Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD, and he will do what's right."
The LORD Helps Samuel
19As Samuel grew up, the LORD helped him and made everything Samuel said come true. 20From the town of Dan in the north to the town of Beersheba in the south, everyone in the country knew that Samuel was truly the LORD's prophet. 21The LORD often appeared to Samuel at Shiloh and told him what to say.
1 Samuel 4
1Then Samuel would speak to the whole nation of Israel. One day the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They set up camp near Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.
The Philistines Capture the Sacred Chest
2The Philistines made a fierce attack. They defeated the Israelites and killed about four thousand of them. 3The Israelite army returned to their camp, and the leaders said, "Why did the LORD let us lose to the Philistines today? Let's get the sacred chest where the LORD's agreement with Israel is kept. Then the LORD [i<="">] will help us and rescue us from our enemies." 4The army sent some soldiers to bring back the sacred chest from Shiloh, because the LORD All-Powerful has his throne on the winged creatures on top of the chest.
As Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, 5brought the chest into camp, the army cheered so loudly that the ground shook. 6The Philistines heard the noise and said, "What are those Hebrews shouting about?"
When the Philistines learned that the sacred chest had been brought into the camp, 7they were scared to death and said:
The gods have come into their camp. Now we're in real trouble! Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. 8We're in big trouble! Who can save us from these powerful gods? They're the same gods who made all those horrible things happen to the Egyptians in the desert.
9Philistines, be brave and fight hard! If you don't, those Hebrews will rule us, just as we've been ruling them. Fight and don't be afraid.
10The Philistines did fight. They killed thirty thousand Israelite soldiers, and all the rest ran off to their homes. 11Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the sacred chest was captured.
As Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, 5brought the chest into camp, the army cheered so loudly that the ground shook. 6The Philistines heard the noise and said, "What are those Hebrews shouting about?"
When the Philistines learned that the sacred chest had been brought into the camp, 7they were scared to death and said:
The gods have come into their camp. Now we're in real trouble! Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. 8We're in big trouble! Who can save us from these powerful gods? They're the same gods who made all those horrible things happen to the Egyptians in the desert.
9Philistines, be brave and fight hard! If you don't, those Hebrews will rule us, just as we've been ruling them. Fight and don't be afraid.
10The Philistines did fight. They killed thirty thousand Israelite soldiers, and all the rest ran off to their homes. 11Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the sacred chest was captured.
Eli Dies
12That same day a soldier from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefront to Shiloh. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show his sorrow. 13He went into town and told the news about the battle, and everyone started crying. Eli was afraid that something might happen to the sacred chest. So he was sitting on his chair beside the road, just waiting. 14-15He was ninety-eight years old and blind, but he could hear everyone crying, and he asked, "What's all that noise?"
The soldier hurried over and told Eli, 16"I escaped from the fighting today and ran here."
"Young man, what happened?" Eli asked.
17"Israel ran away from the Philistines," the soldier answered. "Many of our people were killed, including your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. But worst of all, the sacred chest was captured."
18Eli was still sitting on a chair beside the wall of the town gate. And when the man said that the Philistines had taken the sacred chest, Eli fell backwards. He was a very heavy old man, and the fall broke his neck and killed him. He had been a leader [j<="">] of Israel for forty years. 19The wife of Phinehas was about to give birth. And soon after she heard that the sacred chest had been captured and that her husband and his father had died, her baby came. The birth was very hard, 20and she was dying. But the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid--it's a boy!"
She didn't pay any attention to them. 21-22Instead she kept thinking about losing her husband and her father-in-law. So she said, "My son will be named Ichabod, [k<="">] because the glory of Israel left our country when the sacred chest was captured."
Footnotes:- 1 Samuel 2:22 Israel: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text adds "He heard that his sons were even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the sacred tent."
- 1 Samuel 2:28 don't respect: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation "are greedy for."
- 1 Samuel 2:32 Your family: Or "My house of worship."
- 1 Samuel 2:32 Not one. . . to Israel: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation do not have these words.
- 1 Samuel 2:33 his: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text "your."
- 1 Samuel 2:33 die a violent death: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text "die."
- 1 Samuel 3:3 They. . . long: The Hebrew text has "The lamp was still burning." An olive oil lamp would go out after a few hours if the wick was not adjusted.
- 1 Samuel 3:13 refused. . . me: Or "were insulting everyone."
- 1 Samuel 4:3 LORD: Or "chest."
- 1 Samuel 4:18 leader: The Hebrew word means that Eli may have been an army commander, a judge, and a priest.
- 1 Samuel 4:21 Ichabod: Ichabod means "where is the glory?" or "there is no glory."
The soldier hurried over and told Eli, 16"I escaped from the fighting today and ran here."
"Young man, what happened?" Eli asked.
17"Israel ran away from the Philistines," the soldier answered. "Many of our people were killed, including your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. But worst of all, the sacred chest was captured."
18Eli was still sitting on a chair beside the wall of the town gate. And when the man said that the Philistines had taken the sacred chest, Eli fell backwards. He was a very heavy old man, and the fall broke his neck and killed him. He had been a leader [j<="">] of Israel for forty years. 19The wife of Phinehas was about to give birth. And soon after she heard that the sacred chest had been captured and that her husband and his father had died, her baby came. The birth was very hard, 20and she was dying. But the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid--it's a boy!"
She didn't pay any attention to them. 21-22Instead she kept thinking about losing her husband and her father-in-law. So she said, "My son will be named Ichabod, [k<="">] because the glory of Israel left our country when the sacred chest was captured."
Footnotes:
- 1 Samuel 2:22 Israel: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text adds "He heard that his sons were even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the sacred tent."
- 1 Samuel 2:28 don't respect: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation "are greedy for."
- 1 Samuel 2:32 Your family: Or "My house of worship."
- 1 Samuel 2:32 Not one. . . to Israel: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation do not have these words.
- 1 Samuel 2:33 his: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text "your."
- 1 Samuel 2:33 die a violent death: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text "die."
- 1 Samuel 3:3 They. . . long: The Hebrew text has "The lamp was still burning." An olive oil lamp would go out after a few hours if the wick was not adjusted.
- 1 Samuel 3:13 refused. . . me: Or "were insulting everyone."
- 1 Samuel 4:3 LORD: Or "chest."
- 1 Samuel 4:18 leader: The Hebrew word means that Eli may have been an army commander, a judge, and a priest.
- 1 Samuel 4:21 Ichabod: Ichabod means "where is the glory?" or "there is no glory."
John 5:24-47 (Contemporary English Version)
24I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life.
25I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live! 26The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son. 27And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man.
28Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, 29and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned.
30I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don't just try to please myself.
25I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live! 26The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son. 27And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man.
28Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, 29and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned.
30I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don't just try to please myself.
Witnesses to Jesus
31If I speak for myself, there is no way to prove I am telling the truth. 32But there is someone else who speaks for me, and I know what he says is true. 33You sent messengers to John, and he told them the truth. 34I don't depend on what people say about me, but I tell you these things so that you may be saved. 35John was a lamp that gave a lot of light, and you were glad to enjoy his light for a while. 36But something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me.
37The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. 38You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent.
39You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, 40but you refuse to come to me for eternal life.
41I don't care about human praise, 42but I do know that none of you love God. 43I have come with my Father's authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own. 44How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don't care about praise that the only God can give!
45Don't think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. 46Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. 47But if you don't believe what Moses wrote, how can you believe what I say?
37The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. 38You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent.
39You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, 40but you refuse to come to me for eternal life.
41I don't care about human praise, 42but I do know that none of you love God. 43I have come with my Father's authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own. 44How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don't care about praise that the only God can give!
45Don't think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. 46Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. 47But if you don't believe what Moses wrote, how can you believe what I say?
Psalm 106:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 106
A Nation Asks for Forgiveness
1We will celebrate and praise you, LORD!
You are good to us,
and your love never fails.
2No one can praise you enough
for all of the mighty things
you have done.
3You bless those people
who are honest and fair
in everything they do.
4Remember me, LORD,
when you show kindness
by saving your people.
5Let me prosper with the rest
of your chosen ones,
as they celebrate with pride
because they belong to you.
6We and our ancestors
have sinned terribly.
7When they were in Egypt,
they paid no attention
to your marvelous deeds
or your wonderful love.
And they turned against you
at the Red Sea. a<="" value="[a]" >[] 8But you were true to your name,
and you rescued them to prove
how mighty you are.
9You said to the Red Sea,
"Dry up!"
Then you led your people across
on land as dry as a desert.
10You saved all of them
11and drowned every one
of their enemies.
12Then your people trusted you
and sang your praises.
Footnotes:- Psalm 106:7 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph " Sea of Reeds," one of the marshes or fresh water lakes near the eastern part of the Nile Delta. This identification is based on Exodus 13.17--14.9, which lists the towns on the route of the Israelites before crossing the sea. In the Greek translation of the Scriptures made about 200 (B).(C)., the " Sea of Reeds" was named " Red Sea."
You are good to us,
and your love never fails.
2No one can praise you enough
for all of the mighty things
you have done.
3You bless those people
who are honest and fair
in everything they do.
4Remember me, LORD,
when you show kindness
by saving your people.
5Let me prosper with the rest
of your chosen ones,
as they celebrate with pride
because they belong to you.
6We and our ancestors
have sinned terribly.
7When they were in Egypt,
they paid no attention
to your marvelous deeds
or your wonderful love.
And they turned against you
at the Red Sea. a<="" value="[a]" >[] 8But you were true to your name,
and you rescued them to prove
how mighty you are.
9You said to the Red Sea,
"Dry up!"
Then you led your people across
on land as dry as a desert.
10You saved all of them
11and drowned every one
of their enemies.
12Then your people trusted you
and sang your praises.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 106:7 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph " Sea of Reeds," one of the marshes or fresh water lakes near the eastern part of the Nile Delta. This identification is based on Exodus 13.17--14.9, which lists the towns on the route of the Israelites before crossing the sea. In the Greek translation of the Scriptures made about 200 (B).(C)., the " Sea of Reeds" was named " Red Sea."
Proverbs 14:30-31 (Contemporary English Version)
30It's healthy to be content,
but envy can eat you up.
31If you mistreat the poor,
you insult your Creator;
if you are kind to them,
you show him respect.
but envy can eat you up.
31If you mistreat the poor,
you insult your Creator;
if you are kind to them,
you show him respect.
Thought for the Day
“When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.” (Colossians 4:5-6 - Contemporary English Version) Christians need to remember that no one is argued or insulted into the Kingdom of Heaven. We're called to share a message of love and grace, and I think we're most effective when we're loving and gracious.
Quote for the Day
Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter, Roberto Rossellini wrote, “I am not a pessimist; to perceive evil where it exists is, in my opinion, a form of optimism.”
A Joke for Today
There was once an aspiring veterinarian who put himself through veterinary school working nights as a taxidermist.
Upon graduation, he decided he could combine his two vocations to better serve the needs of his patients and their owners, while doubling his practice and, therefore, his income.
He opened his own offices with a shingle on the door saying, "Dr. Jones, Veterinary Medicine and Taxidermy -- Either way, you get your dog back!"
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 our city, state and national leaders would be presented with the Gospel and a loving Christian witness.
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