Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Jeremiah 44:24–47:7; 2 Timothy 2:22–3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; and Proverbs 26:6-8. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Jeremiah 44:24-47:7 (Contemporary English Version)
24-25Then I told the men and their wives, that the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, had said:
Here in Egypt you still keep your promises to burn incense and offer sacrifices of wine to the so-called Queen of Heaven. 26Keep these promises! But let me tell you what will happen. As surely as I am the LORD God, I swear that I will never again accept any promises you make in my name. 27Instead of watching over you, I will watch for chances to harm you. Some of you will die in war, and others will starve to death. 28Only a few will escape and return to Judah. Then everyone who went to live in Egypt will know that when I say something will happen, it will--no matter what you say.
29And here is how you will know that I will keep my threats to punish you in Egypt. 30I will hand over King Hophra of Egypt to those who want to kill him, a] just as I handed Zedekiah b] over to Nebuchadnezzar, c] who wanted to kill him.
Here in Egypt you still keep your promises to burn incense and offer sacrifices of wine to the so-called Queen of Heaven. 26Keep these promises! But let me tell you what will happen. As surely as I am the LORD God, I swear that I will never again accept any promises you make in my name. 27Instead of watching over you, I will watch for chances to harm you. Some of you will die in war, and others will starve to death. 28Only a few will escape and return to Judah. Then everyone who went to live in Egypt will know that when I say something will happen, it will--no matter what you say.
29And here is how you will know that I will keep my threats to punish you in Egypt. 30I will hand over King Hophra of Egypt to those who want to kill him, a] just as I handed Zedekiah b] over to Nebuchadnezzar, c] who wanted to kill him.
Jeremiah 45
The LORD Will Not Let Baruch Be Killed
1In the fourth year that Jehoiakim d] was king of Judah, Baruch wrote down everything I had told him. e] 2Then later, the LORD God of Israel told me to say to Baruch: 3You are moaning and blaming me, the LORD, for your troubles and sorrow, and for being so tired that you can't even rest. 4But all over the earth I am tearing down what I built and pulling up what I planted. 5I am bringing disaster everywhere, so don't even think about making any big plans for yourself. However, I promise that wherever you go, I will at least protect you from death. I, the LORD, have spoken.
Jeremiah 46
The LORD Speaks about the Nations
1The LORD often told me what to say about the different nations of the world.
What the LORD Says about Egypt
2In the fourth year that Jehoiakim f] was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar g]of Babylonia defeated King Neco of Egypt h] in a battle at the city of Carchemish near the Euphrates River. And here is what the LORD told me to say about the Egyptian army: 3It's time to go into battle! So grab your shields,
4saddle your horses,
and polish your spears.
Put on your helmets and armor,
then take your positions.
5I can see the battle now--
you are defeated
and running away,
never once looking back.
Terror is all around.
6You are strong and run fast,
but you can't escape.
You fall in battle
near the Euphrates River.
7What nation is this,
that rises
like the Nile River
overflowing its banks?
8It is Egypt, rising with a roar
like a raging river
and saying,
"I'll flood the earth,
destroying cities,
and killing
everyone in them."
9Go ahead, Egypt.
Tell your chariots and cavalry
to attack and fight hard.
Order your troops to march out,
with Ethiopians i] and Libyans carrying shields,
and the Lydians j] armed with bows and arrows.
10But the LORD All-Powerful
will win this battle
and take revenge
on his enemies.
His sword will eat them
and drink their blood
until it is full.
They will be killed in the north
near the Euphrates River,
as a sacrifice to the LORD.
11Egypt, no medicine can heal you,
not even the soothing lotion
from Gilead.
12All nations have heard you weep;
you are disgraced,
and they know it.
Your troops fall to the ground,
stumbling over each other.
4saddle your horses,
and polish your spears.
Put on your helmets and armor,
then take your positions.
5I can see the battle now--
you are defeated
and running away,
never once looking back.
Terror is all around.
6You are strong and run fast,
but you can't escape.
You fall in battle
near the Euphrates River.
7What nation is this,
that rises
like the Nile River
overflowing its banks?
8It is Egypt, rising with a roar
like a raging river
and saying,
"I'll flood the earth,
destroying cities,
and killing
everyone in them."
9Go ahead, Egypt.
Tell your chariots and cavalry
to attack and fight hard.
Order your troops to march out,
with Ethiopians i] and Libyans carrying shields,
and the Lydians j] armed with bows and arrows.
10But the LORD All-Powerful
will win this battle
and take revenge
on his enemies.
His sword will eat them
and drink their blood
until it is full.
They will be killed in the north
near the Euphrates River,
as a sacrifice to the LORD.
11Egypt, no medicine can heal you,
not even the soothing lotion
from Gilead.
12All nations have heard you weep;
you are disgraced,
and they know it.
Your troops fall to the ground,
stumbling over each other.
A Warning for Egypt
13-14When King Nebuchadnezzar k] of Babylonia was on his way to attack Egypt, the LORD sent me with a warning for every Egyptian town, but especially for Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes. He said to tell them: Prepare to defend yourselves! Everywhere in your nation,
people are dying in war.
15I have struck down
your mighty god Apis l] and chased him away. m] 16Your soldiers stumble
over each other
and say, "Get up!
The enemy will kill us,
unless we can escape
to our own land."
17Give the king of Egypt
this new name,
"Talks-Big-Does-Nothing."
18Egypt, I am the true king,
the LORD All-Powerful,
and as surely as I live,
those enemies who attack
will tower over you
like Mount Tabor among the hills
or Mount Carmel by the sea.
19You will be led away captive,
so pack a few things
to bring with you.
Your capital, Memphis,
will lie empty and in ruins.
20An enemy from the north
will attack you, beautiful Egypt,
like a fly biting a cow.
21The foreign soldiers you hired
will turn and run.
But they are doomed,
like well-fed calves
being led to the butcher.
22The enemy army will go forward
like a swarm of locusts. n] Your troops will feel helpless,
like a snake in a forest
23when men with axes
start chopping down trees.
It can only hiss
and try to escape.
24Your people will be disgraced
and captured by the enemy
from the north.
25I am the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel. Soon I will punish the god Amon of Thebes o] and the other Egyptian gods, the Egyptian kings, the people of Egypt, and everyone who trusts in the Egyptian power. 26I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar and his army. But I also promise that Egypt will someday have people living here again, just as it had before. I, the LORD, have spoken.
people are dying in war.
15I have struck down
your mighty god Apis l] and chased him away. m] 16Your soldiers stumble
over each other
and say, "Get up!
The enemy will kill us,
unless we can escape
to our own land."
17Give the king of Egypt
this new name,
"Talks-Big-Does-Nothing."
18Egypt, I am the true king,
the LORD All-Powerful,
and as surely as I live,
those enemies who attack
will tower over you
like Mount Tabor among the hills
or Mount Carmel by the sea.
19You will be led away captive,
so pack a few things
to bring with you.
Your capital, Memphis,
will lie empty and in ruins.
20An enemy from the north
will attack you, beautiful Egypt,
like a fly biting a cow.
21The foreign soldiers you hired
will turn and run.
But they are doomed,
like well-fed calves
being led to the butcher.
22The enemy army will go forward
like a swarm of locusts. n] Your troops will feel helpless,
like a snake in a forest
23when men with axes
start chopping down trees.
It can only hiss
and try to escape.
24Your people will be disgraced
and captured by the enemy
from the north.
25I am the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel. Soon I will punish the god Amon of Thebes o] and the other Egyptian gods, the Egyptian kings, the people of Egypt, and everyone who trusts in the Egyptian power. 26I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar and his army. But I also promise that Egypt will someday have people living here again, just as it had before. I, the LORD, have spoken.
The LORD Will Bring Israel Home
The LORD said:
27Israel, p] don't be afraid. Someday I will bring you home from foreign lands.
You and your descendants
will live in peace and safety,
with nothing to fear.
28So don't be afraid,
even though now
you deserve to be punished
and have been scattered
among other nations.
But when I destroy them,
I will protect you.
I, the LORD, have spoken.
You and your descendants
will live in peace and safety,
with nothing to fear.
28So don't be afraid,
even though now
you deserve to be punished
and have been scattered
among other nations.
But when I destroy them,
I will protect you.
I, the LORD, have spoken.
Jeremiah 47
What the LORD Says about the Philistines
1Before the king of Egypt attacked the town of Gaza, q] the LORD told me to say to the Philistines: 2I, the LORD, tell you that your land will be flooded
with an army from the north.
It will destroy your towns
and sweep you away,
moaning and screaming.
3When you hear the thunder
of horses and chariots,
your courage will vanish,
and parents will abandon
their own children.
4You refugees from Crete, r] your time has now come,
and I will destroy you.
None of you will be left
to help the cities
of Tyre and Sidon.
5The Anakim who survive s] in Gaza and Ashkelon
will mourn for you
by shaving their heads
and sitting in silence.
6You ask how long will I continue
to attack you with my sword,
then you tell me to put it away
and leave you alone.
7But how can my sword rest,
when I have commanded it
to attack Ashkelon
and the seacoast?
Footnotes:- Jeremiah 44:30 King Hophra. . . kill him: Hophra, also known as Apries, ruled Egypt from 589 to 570 B.C., when he was killed by Ahmosis II, who then became king of Egypt and ruled until 526 B.C.
- Jeremiah 44:30 Zedekiah: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 44:30 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
- Jeremiah 45:1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 45:1 Baruch wrote down everything I had told him: See 36.1-32.
- Jeremiah 46:2 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 46:2 King Nebuchadnezzar: Ruled 605-562 B.C. At the time of the battle in 605 B.C., he was crown prince, but his father died a few months later, and he became king.
- Jeremiah 46:2 King Neco of Egypt: Neco II, ruled 609-594 B.C.
- Jeremiah 46:9 Ethiopians: See the note at 38.7,8.
- Jeremiah 46:9 Lydians: Probably hired soldiers from Lydia, an area in west-central Asia minor.
- Jeremiah 46:13 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
- Jeremiah 46:15 Apis: A sacred bull, kept in a temple at Memphis, Egypt, and worshiped as a god.
- Jeremiah 46:15 I have. . . him away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 46:22 locusts: A type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to plant life.
- Jeremiah 46:25 the god Amon of Thebes: Amon was the king of the Egyptian gods and was the special god of the Egyptian kings.
- Jeremiah 46:27 Israel: See the note at 30.10,11.
- Jeremiah 47:1 attacked the town of Gaza: One of the major Philistine towns; nothing is known about this attack.
- Jeremiah 47:4 Crete: Hebrew "Caphtor," another name for Crete, the original homeland of the ancestor of the Philistines.
- Jeremiah 47:5 Anakim who survive: One ancient translation; Hebrew "people in the valley who survive." The Anakim may have been a group of very large people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites (see Numbers 13.33; Deuteronomy 2.10,11,20,21; and Joshua 11.21,22).
with an army from the north.
It will destroy your towns
and sweep you away,
moaning and screaming.
3When you hear the thunder
of horses and chariots,
your courage will vanish,
and parents will abandon
their own children.
4You refugees from Crete, r] your time has now come,
and I will destroy you.
None of you will be left
to help the cities
of Tyre and Sidon.
5The Anakim who survive s] in Gaza and Ashkelon
will mourn for you
by shaving their heads
and sitting in silence.
6You ask how long will I continue
to attack you with my sword,
then you tell me to put it away
and leave you alone.
7But how can my sword rest,
when I have commanded it
to attack Ashkelon
and the seacoast?
Footnotes:
- Jeremiah 44:30 King Hophra. . . kill him: Hophra, also known as Apries, ruled Egypt from 589 to 570 B.C., when he was killed by Ahmosis II, who then became king of Egypt and ruled until 526 B.C.
- Jeremiah 44:30 Zedekiah: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 44:30 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
- Jeremiah 45:1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 45:1 Baruch wrote down everything I had told him: See 36.1-32.
- Jeremiah 46:2 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
- Jeremiah 46:2 King Nebuchadnezzar: Ruled 605-562 B.C. At the time of the battle in 605 B.C., he was crown prince, but his father died a few months later, and he became king.
- Jeremiah 46:2 King Neco of Egypt: Neco II, ruled 609-594 B.C.
- Jeremiah 46:9 Ethiopians: See the note at 38.7,8.
- Jeremiah 46:9 Lydians: Probably hired soldiers from Lydia, an area in west-central Asia minor.
- Jeremiah 46:13 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
- Jeremiah 46:15 Apis: A sacred bull, kept in a temple at Memphis, Egypt, and worshiped as a god.
- Jeremiah 46:15 I have. . . him away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 46:22 locusts: A type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to plant life.
- Jeremiah 46:25 the god Amon of Thebes: Amon was the king of the Egyptian gods and was the special god of the Egyptian kings.
- Jeremiah 46:27 Israel: See the note at 30.10,11.
- Jeremiah 47:1 attacked the town of Gaza: One of the major Philistine towns; nothing is known about this attack.
- Jeremiah 47:4 Crete: Hebrew "Caphtor," another name for Crete, the original homeland of the ancestor of the Philistines.
- Jeremiah 47:5 Anakim who survive: One ancient translation; Hebrew "people in the valley who survive." The Anakim may have been a group of very large people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites (see Numbers 13.33; Deuteronomy 2.10,11,20,21; and Joshua 11.21,22).
2 Timothy 2:22-3:17 (Contemporary English Version)
22Run from temptations that capture young people. Always do the right thing. Be faithful, loving, and easy to get along with. Worship with people whose hearts are pure. 23Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble, 24and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.
25Be humble when you correct people who oppose you. Maybe God will lead them to turn to him and learn the truth. 26They have been trapped by the devil, and he makes them obey him, but God may help them escape.
25Be humble when you correct people who oppose you. Maybe God will lead them to turn to him and learn the truth. 26They have been trapped by the devil, and he makes them obey him, but God may help them escape.
2 Timothy 3
What People Will Be Like in the Last Days
1You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. 2People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, 3heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. 4They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. 5Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people. 6Some men fool whole families, just to get power over those women who are slaves of sin and are controlled by all sorts of desires. 7These women always want to learn something new, but they never can discover the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres a] opposed Moses, these people are enemies of the truth. Their minds are sick, and their faith isn't real. 9But they won't get very far with their foolishness. Soon everyone will know the truth about them, just as Jannes and Jambres were found out.
Paul's Last Instructions to Timothy
10Timothy, you know what I teach and how I live. You know what I want to do and what I believe. You have seen how patient and loving I am, and how in the past I put up with 11trouble and suffering in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. Yet the Lord rescued me from all those terrible troubles. 12Anyone who belongs to Christ Jesus and wants to live right will have trouble from others. 13But evil people who pretend to be what they are not will become worse than ever, as they fool others and are fooled themselves. 14Keep on being faithful to what you were taught and to what you believed. After all, you know who taught you these things. 15Since childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to make you wise enough to have faith in Christ Jesus and be saved. 16Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. 17The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds.
Footnotes:- 2 Timothy 3:8 Jannes and Jambres: These names are not found in the Old Testament. But many believe these were the names of the two Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses when he wanted to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt (see Exodus 7.11,22).
Footnotes:
- 2 Timothy 3:8 Jannes and Jambres: These names are not found in the Old Testament. But many believe these were the names of the two Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses when he wanted to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt (see Exodus 7.11,22).
Psalm 94:1-23 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 94
The LORD Punishes the Guilty
1LORD God, you punish the guilty.
Show what you are like
and punish them now.
2You judge the earth.
Come and help us!
Pay back those proud people
for what they have done.
3How long will the wicked
celebrate and be glad?
4All of those cruel people
strut and boast,
5and they crush and wound
your chosen nation, LORD.
6They murder widows,
foreigners, and orphans.
7Then they say,
"The LORD God of Jacob
doesn't see or know."
8Can't you fools see?
Won't you ever learn?
9God gave us ears and eyes!
Can't he hear and see?
10God instructs the nations
and gives knowledge to us all.
Won't he also correct us?
11The LORD knows how useless
our plans really are.
12Our LORD, you bless everyone
that you instruct and teach
by using your Law.
13You give them rest
from their troubles,
until a pit can be dug
for the wicked.
14You won't turn your back
on your chosen nation.
15Justice and fairness
will go hand in hand,
and all who do right
will follow along.
16Who will stand up for me
against those cruel people?
17If you had not helped me, LORD,
I would soon have gone
to the land of silence. a] 18When I felt my feet slipping,
you came with your love
and kept me steady.
19And when I was burdened
with worries,
you comforted me
and made me feel secure.
20But you are opposed
to dishonest lawmakers
21who gang up to murder
innocent victims.
22You, LORD God, are my fortress,
that mighty rock b] where I am safe.
23You will pay back my enemies,
and you will wipe them out
for the evil they did.
Footnotes:- Psalm 94:17 land of silence: The grave or the world of the dead.
- Psalm 94:22 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
Show what you are like
and punish them now.
2You judge the earth.
Come and help us!
Pay back those proud people
for what they have done.
3How long will the wicked
celebrate and be glad?
4All of those cruel people
strut and boast,
5and they crush and wound
your chosen nation, LORD.
6They murder widows,
foreigners, and orphans.
7Then they say,
"The LORD God of Jacob
doesn't see or know."
8Can't you fools see?
Won't you ever learn?
9God gave us ears and eyes!
Can't he hear and see?
10God instructs the nations
and gives knowledge to us all.
Won't he also correct us?
11The LORD knows how useless
our plans really are.
12Our LORD, you bless everyone
that you instruct and teach
by using your Law.
13You give them rest
from their troubles,
until a pit can be dug
for the wicked.
14You won't turn your back
on your chosen nation.
15Justice and fairness
will go hand in hand,
and all who do right
will follow along.
16Who will stand up for me
against those cruel people?
17If you had not helped me, LORD,
I would soon have gone
to the land of silence. a] 18When I felt my feet slipping,
you came with your love
and kept me steady.
19And when I was burdened
with worries,
you comforted me
and made me feel secure.
20But you are opposed
to dishonest lawmakers
21who gang up to murder
innocent victims.
22You, LORD God, are my fortress,
that mighty rock b] where I am safe.
23You will pay back my enemies,
and you will wipe them out
for the evil they did.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 94:17 land of silence: The grave or the world of the dead.
- Psalm 94:22 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
Proverbs 26:6-8 (Contemporary English Version)
6Sending a message by a fool
is like chopping off your foot
and drinking poison.
7A fool with words of wisdom
is like an athlete
with legs that can't move. a] 8Are you going to honor a fool?
Why not shoot a slingshot
with the rock tied tight?
Footnotes:- Proverbs 26:7 with. . . move: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
is like chopping off your foot
and drinking poison.
7A fool with words of wisdom
is like an athlete
with legs that can't move. a] 8Are you going to honor a fool?
Why not shoot a slingshot
with the rock tied tight?
Footnotes:
- Proverbs 26:7 with. . . move: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Thought for the Day
“Respect and obey the LORD! This is the beginning of wisdom. To have understanding, you must know the Holy God.” (Proverbs 9:10 - Contemporary English Version) True wisdom begins when we choose to look beyond our limitations so that we might glimpse the infinite and eternal. As a matter of fact, to understand the mortal, it's necessary to trust in the transcendent.
Quote for the Day
American journalist, editor, freelance writer, and teacher of writing, Brenda Ueland wrote, “It is so conceited and timid to be ashamed of one's mistakes. Of course they are mistakes. Go on to the next.”
Joke for Today
So when Len's 21st birthday came around, he and his pal Corky took a boat out to the middle of the lake. Len stepped out of the boat and nearly drowned!
Corky just managed to pull him to safety. Furious and confused, Len went to see his grandmother. "Grandma, it's my 21st birthday, so why can't I walk across the lake, like my father, his father, and his father before him?"
Granny looked Len straight in the eyes, and said, "Because, you idiot, your father, grandfather and great grandfather was born in January, you were born in July."
Corky just managed to pull him to safety. Furious and confused, Len went to see his grandmother. "Grandma, it's my 21st birthday, so why can't I walk across the lake, like my father, his father, and his father before him?"
Granny looked Len straight in the eyes, and said, "Because, you idiot, your father, grandfather and great grandfather was born in January, you were born in July."
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 we put aside our self-interest for the sake of our neighbors.
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