Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Jeremiah 8:8–9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; and Proverbs 24:27. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Jeremiah 8:8-9:26 (Contemporary English Version)
8You say, "We are wise
because we have the teachings
and laws of the LORD."
But I say that your teachers
have turned my words
into lies!
9Your wise men
have rejected what I say,
and so they have no wisdom.
Now they will be trapped
and put to shame;
they won't know what to do.
10I'll give their wives and fields
to strangers.
Everyone is greedy and dishonest,
whether poor or rich.
Even the prophets and priests
cannot be trusted.
11All they ever offer
to my deeply wounded people
are empty hopes for peace.
12They should be ashamed
of their disgusting sins,
but they don't even blush.
And so, when I punish Judah,
they will end up on the ground,
dead like everyone else.
13I will wipe them out. a] They are vines without grapes;
fig trees without figs or leaves.
They have not done a thing
that I told them! b] I, the LORD, have spoken.
because we have the teachings
and laws of the LORD."
But I say that your teachers
have turned my words
into lies!
9Your wise men
have rejected what I say,
and so they have no wisdom.
Now they will be trapped
and put to shame;
they won't know what to do.
10I'll give their wives and fields
to strangers.
Everyone is greedy and dishonest,
whether poor or rich.
Even the prophets and priests
cannot be trusted.
11All they ever offer
to my deeply wounded people
are empty hopes for peace.
12They should be ashamed
of their disgusting sins,
but they don't even blush.
And so, when I punish Judah,
they will end up on the ground,
dead like everyone else.
13I will wipe them out. a] They are vines without grapes;
fig trees without figs or leaves.
They have not done a thing
that I told them! b] I, the LORD, have spoken.
The People and Their Punishment
14The people of Judah say to each other,
"What are we waiting for?
Let's run to a town with walls
and die there.
We rebelled against the LORD,
and we were sentenced to die
by drinking poison.
15We had hoped for peace
and a time of healing,
but all we got was terror.
16Our enemies have reached
the town of Dan in the north,
and the snorting of their horses
makes us tremble with fear.
The enemy will destroy Jerusalem
and our entire nation.
No one will survive."
17"Watch out!" the LORD says.
"I'm sending poisonous snakes
to attack you,
and no one can stop them."
"What are we waiting for?
Let's run to a town with walls
and die there.
We rebelled against the LORD,
and we were sentenced to die
by drinking poison.
15We had hoped for peace
and a time of healing,
but all we got was terror.
16Our enemies have reached
the town of Dan in the north,
and the snorting of their horses
makes us tremble with fear.
The enemy will destroy Jerusalem
and our entire nation.
No one will survive."
17"Watch out!" the LORD says.
"I'm sending poisonous snakes
to attack you,
and no one can stop them."
Jeremiah Mourns for His People
18I'm burdened with sorrow and feel like giving up.
19In a foreign land
my people are crying.
Listen! You'll hear them say,
"Has the LORD deserted Zion?
Is he no longer its king?"
I hear the LORD reply,
"Why did you make me angry
by worshiping useless idols?"
20The people complain,
"Spring and summer
have come and gone,
but still the LORD
hasn't rescued us."
21My people are crushed,
and so is my heart.
I am horrified and mourn.
22If medicine and doctors
may be found in Gilead,
why aren't my people healed?
19In a foreign land
my people are crying.
Listen! You'll hear them say,
"Has the LORD deserted Zion?
Is he no longer its king?"
I hear the LORD reply,
"Why did you make me angry
by worshiping useless idols?"
20The people complain,
"Spring and summer
have come and gone,
but still the LORD
hasn't rescued us."
21My people are crushed,
and so is my heart.
I am horrified and mourn.
22If medicine and doctors
may be found in Gilead,
why aren't my people healed?
Jeremiah 9
1I wish that my eyes were fountains of tears,
so I could cry day and night
for my people
who were killed.
2I wish I could go into the desert
and find a hiding place
from all who are treacherous
and unfaithful to God.
so I could cry day and night
for my people
who were killed.
2I wish I could go into the desert
and find a hiding place
from all who are treacherous
and unfaithful to God.
The LORD Answers Jeremiah
3The LORD replied: Lies come from the mouths
of my people,
like arrows from a bow.
With each dishonest deed
their power increases,
and not one of them will admit
that I am God.
4Jeremiah, all your friends
and relatives
tell lies about you,
so don't trust them.
5They wear themselves out,
always looking for a new way
to cheat their friends.
6Everyone takes advantage
of everyone else,
and no one will admit
that I am God.
7And so I will purify
the hearts of my people
just as gold is purified
in a furnace.
I have no other choice.
8They say they want peace,
but this lie is deadly,
like an arrow that strikes
when you least expect it.
9Give me one good reason
not to punish them
as they deserve.
I, the LORD All-Powerful,
have spoken.
of my people,
like arrows from a bow.
With each dishonest deed
their power increases,
and not one of them will admit
that I am God.
4Jeremiah, all your friends
and relatives
tell lies about you,
so don't trust them.
5They wear themselves out,
always looking for a new way
to cheat their friends.
6Everyone takes advantage
of everyone else,
and no one will admit
that I am God.
7And so I will purify
the hearts of my people
just as gold is purified
in a furnace.
I have no other choice.
8They say they want peace,
but this lie is deadly,
like an arrow that strikes
when you least expect it.
9Give me one good reason
not to punish them
as they deserve.
I, the LORD All-Powerful,
have spoken.
Jeremiah Weeps for His People
10I weep for the pastureland in the hill country.
It's so barren and scorched
that no one travels there.
No cattle can be found there,
and birds and wild animals
have all disappeared.
11I heard the LORD reply,
"When I am finished,
Jerusalem and the towns of Judah
will be piles of ruins
where only jackals c] live."
It's so barren and scorched
that no one travels there.
No cattle can be found there,
and birds and wild animals
have all disappeared.
11I heard the LORD reply,
"When I am finished,
Jerusalem and the towns of Judah
will be piles of ruins
where only jackals c] live."
Why the Land Was Destroyed
12I said to the LORD, "None of us can understand why the land has become like an uncrossable desert. Won't you explain why?" 13The LORD said:
I destroyed the land because the people disobeyed me and rejected my laws and teachings. 14They were stubborn and worshiped Baal, d] just as their ancestors did. 15So I, the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, promise them poison to eat and drink. e] 16I'll scatter them in foreign countries that they and their ancestors have never even heard of. Finally, I will send enemy soldiers to kill every last one of them.
I destroyed the land because the people disobeyed me and rejected my laws and teachings. 14They were stubborn and worshiped Baal, d] just as their ancestors did. 15So I, the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, promise them poison to eat and drink. e] 16I'll scatter them in foreign countries that they and their ancestors have never even heard of. Finally, I will send enemy soldiers to kill every last one of them.
The Women Who Are Paid To Weep
17The LORD All-Powerful said, "Send for the women
who are paid to weep
at funerals, f] especially the women
who can cry the loudest."
18The people answered,
"Let them come quickly
and cry for us,
until our own eyes
are flooded with tears.
19Now those of us on Zion cry,
`We are ruined!
We can't stand the shame.
Our homes have been destroyed,
and we must leave our land.'
20"We ask you women
to pay attention
to what the LORD says.
We will teach you a funeral song
that you can teach
your daughters and friends:
21'We were in our fortress,
but death sneaked in
through our windows.
It even struck down
children at play
and our strongest young men.'
22"The LORD has told us
the ground will be covered
with dead bodies,
like stalks of ungathered grain
or like manure."
who are paid to weep
at funerals, f] especially the women
who can cry the loudest."
18The people answered,
"Let them come quickly
and cry for us,
until our own eyes
are flooded with tears.
19Now those of us on Zion cry,
`We are ruined!
We can't stand the shame.
Our homes have been destroyed,
and we must leave our land.'
20"We ask you women
to pay attention
to what the LORD says.
We will teach you a funeral song
that you can teach
your daughters and friends:
21'We were in our fortress,
but death sneaked in
through our windows.
It even struck down
children at play
and our strongest young men.'
22"The LORD has told us
the ground will be covered
with dead bodies,
like stalks of ungathered grain
or like manure."
What the LORD Likes Best
23The LORD says: Don't brag about your wisdom
or strength or wealth.
24If you feel you must brag,
then have enough sense
to brag about worshiping me,
the LORD.
What I like best
is showing kindness,
justice, and mercy
to everyone on earth.
25-26Someday I will punish the nations of Egypt, Edom, Ammon, and Moab, and the tribes of the desert. g] The men of these nations are circumcised, but they don't worship me. And it's the same with you people of Judah. Your bodies are circumcised, but your hearts are unchanged.
Footnotes:- Jeremiah 8:13 I will wipe them out: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 8:13 They have not. . . them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 9:11 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller.
- Jeremiah 9:14 Baal: See the note at 2.23.
- Jeremiah 9:15 poison to eat and drink: Or "bitter disappointment to eat, and tears to drink."
- Jeremiah 9:17 women. . . weep at funerals: Or "the women who weep for Baal"; the god Baal was believed to have died and come back to life, and some women would go to places of worship and weep over the death of Baal.
- Jeremiah 9:25 the tribes of the desert: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
or strength or wealth.
24If you feel you must brag,
then have enough sense
to brag about worshiping me,
the LORD.
What I like best
is showing kindness,
justice, and mercy
to everyone on earth.
25-26Someday I will punish the nations of Egypt, Edom, Ammon, and Moab, and the tribes of the desert. g] The men of these nations are circumcised, but they don't worship me. And it's the same with you people of Judah. Your bodies are circumcised, but your hearts are unchanged.
Footnotes:
- Jeremiah 8:13 I will wipe them out: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 8:13 They have not. . . them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Jeremiah 9:11 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller.
- Jeremiah 9:14 Baal: See the note at 2.23.
- Jeremiah 9:15 poison to eat and drink: Or "bitter disappointment to eat, and tears to drink."
- Jeremiah 9:17 women. . . weep at funerals: Or "the women who weep for Baal"; the god Baal was believed to have died and come back to life, and some women would go to places of worship and weep over the death of Baal.
- Jeremiah 9:25 the tribes of the desert: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Colossians 3:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
Colossians 3
1You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God's right side. a] 2Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth.
3You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God.
4Christ gives meaning to your b] life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.
5Don't be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don't be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don't be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols.
6God is angry with people who disobey him by doing c] these things.
7And that is exactly what you did, when you lived among people who behaved in this way.
8But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others.
9And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.
10Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.
11It doesn't matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, d] and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.
13Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.
14Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
15Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.
16Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
17Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.
Footnotes:- Colossians 3:1 right side: The place of power and honor.
- Colossians 3:4 your: Some manuscripts have " our."
- Colossians 3:6 people who disobey him by doing: Some manuscripts do not have these words.
- Colossians 3:11 a barbarian or a Scythian: Barbarians were people who could not speak Greek and would be in the lower class of society. Scythians were people who were known for their cruelty.
3You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God.
4Christ gives meaning to your b] life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.
5Don't be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don't be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don't be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols.
6God is angry with people who disobey him by doing c] these things.
7And that is exactly what you did, when you lived among people who behaved in this way.
8But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others.
9And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.
10Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.
11It doesn't matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, d] and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.
13Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.
14Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
15Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.
16Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
17Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.
Footnotes:
- Colossians 3:1 right side: The place of power and honor.
- Colossians 3:4 your: Some manuscripts have " our."
- Colossians 3:6 people who disobey him by doing: Some manuscripts do not have these words.
- Colossians 3:11 a barbarian or a Scythian: Barbarians were people who could not speak Greek and would be in the lower class of society. Scythians were people who were known for their cruelty.
Psalm 78:32-55 (Contemporary English Version)
32But the rest kept on sinning
and would not trust
God's miracles.
33So he cut their lives short
and made them terrified.
34After he killed some of them,
the others turned to him
with all their hearts.
35They remembered God Most High,
the mighty rock a] that kept them safe.
36But they tried to flatter God,
and they told him lies;
37they were unfaithful
and broke their promises.
38Yet God was kind.
He kept forgiving their sins
and didn't destroy them.
He often became angry,
but never lost his temper.
39God remembered that they
were made of flesh
and were like a wind
that blows once
and then dies down.
40While they were in the desert,
they often rebelled
and made God sad.
41They kept testing him
and caused terrible pain
for the Holy One of Israel.
42They forgot about his power
and how he had rescued them
from their enemies.
43God showed them all kinds
of wonderful miracles
near Zoan b] in Egypt. 44He turned the rivers of Egypt
into blood,
and no one could drink
from the streams.
45He sent swarms of flies
to pester the Egyptians,
and he sent frogs
to cause them trouble.
46God let worms and grasshoppers
eat their crops.
47He destroyed their grapevines
and their fig trees
with hail and floods. c] 48Then he killed their cattle
with hail
and their other animals
with lightning.
49God was so angry and furious
that he went into a rage
and caused them great trouble
by sending swarms
of destroying angels.
50God gave in to his anger
and slaughtered them
in a terrible way.
51He killed the first-born son
of each Egyptian family.
52Then God led his people
out of Egypt
and guided them in the desert
like a flock of sheep.
53He led them safely along,
and they were not afraid,
but their enemies drowned
in the sea.
54God brought his people
to the sacred mountain
that he had taken
by his own power.
55He made nations run
from the tribes of Israel,
and he let the tribes
take over their land.
Footnotes:- Psalm 78:35 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
- Psalm 78:43 Zoan: See the note at 78.12.
- Psalm 78:47 floods: Or " frost."
and would not trust
God's miracles.
33So he cut their lives short
and made them terrified.
34After he killed some of them,
the others turned to him
with all their hearts.
35They remembered God Most High,
the mighty rock a] that kept them safe.
36But they tried to flatter God,
and they told him lies;
37they were unfaithful
and broke their promises.
38Yet God was kind.
He kept forgiving their sins
and didn't destroy them.
He often became angry,
but never lost his temper.
39God remembered that they
were made of flesh
and were like a wind
that blows once
and then dies down.
40While they were in the desert,
they often rebelled
and made God sad.
41They kept testing him
and caused terrible pain
for the Holy One of Israel.
42They forgot about his power
and how he had rescued them
from their enemies.
43God showed them all kinds
of wonderful miracles
near Zoan b] in Egypt. 44He turned the rivers of Egypt
into blood,
and no one could drink
from the streams.
45He sent swarms of flies
to pester the Egyptians,
and he sent frogs
to cause them trouble.
46God let worms and grasshoppers
eat their crops.
47He destroyed their grapevines
and their fig trees
with hail and floods. c] 48Then he killed their cattle
with hail
and their other animals
with lightning.
49God was so angry and furious
that he went into a rage
and caused them great trouble
by sending swarms
of destroying angels.
50God gave in to his anger
and slaughtered them
in a terrible way.
51He killed the first-born son
of each Egyptian family.
52Then God led his people
out of Egypt
and guided them in the desert
like a flock of sheep.
53He led them safely along,
and they were not afraid,
but their enemies drowned
in the sea.
54God brought his people
to the sacred mountain
that he had taken
by his own power.
55He made nations run
from the tribes of Israel,
and he let the tribes
take over their land.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 78:35 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
- Psalm 78:43 Zoan: See the note at 78.12.
- Psalm 78:47 floods: Or " frost."
Proverbs 24:27 (Contemporary English Version)
27Get your fields ready
and plant your crops
before starting a home.
and plant your crops
before starting a home.
Thought for the Day
“You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.” (Psalm 63:1 - Contemporary English Version) When we appreciate the love and care God offers, we'll want to respond. We won't need threats or promises. Instead, we'll look for opportunities to express our thanks and praise.
“You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.” (Psalm 63:1 - Contemporary English Version) When we appreciate the love and care God offers, we'll want to respond. We won't need threats or promises. Instead, we'll look for opportunities to express our thanks and praise.
Quote for the Day
American writer, poet, and best-selling author, James Whitcomb Riley wrote, “When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.”
Joke for Today
After spending 3 1/2 hours enduring the long lines, surly clerks and insane regulations at the department of motor vehicles, a lady stopped at a toy store to pick up a gift for her son. She brought her selection - a baseball bat to the cash register.
"Cash or charge," the clerk asked.
"Cash," she snapped. Then apologizing for her rudeness, she explained, "I've spent the afternoon at the motor-vehicle bureau. I am not too sane right now!!"
"Shall I gift wrap the bat?" the clerk asked sweetly, "Or are you going 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 people are sensitive to the vulnerability of their neighbors.
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