Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Daniel 9:1–11:1; 1 John 2:18–3:6; Psalm 121:1-8; and Proverbs 28:27-28. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Daniel 9-11:1 (Contemporary English Version)
Daniel 9
Daniel Prays for the People
1-2Daniel wrote: Some years later, Darius the Mede, a] who was the son of Xerxes, b] had become king of Babylonia. And during his first year as king, I found out from studying the writings of the prophets that the LORD had said to Jeremiah, " Jerusalem will lie in ruins for seventy years." c] 3-4Then, to show my sorrow, I went without eating and dressed in sackcloth d] and sat in ashes. I confessed my sins and earnestly prayed to the LORD my God: Our Lord, you are a great and fearsome God, and you faithfully keep your agreement with those who love and obey you. 5But we have sinned terribly by rebelling against you and rejecting your laws and teachings. 6We have ignored the message your servants the prophets spoke to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors, and everyone else.
7Everything you do is right, our Lord. But still we suffer public disgrace because we have been unfaithful and have sinned against you. This includes all of us, both far and near--the people of Judah, Jerusalem, and Israel, as well as those you dragged away to foreign lands, 8and even our kings, our officials, and our ancestors. 9LORD God, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you 10and rejected your teachings that came to us from your servants the prophets.
11Everyone in Israel has stubbornly refused to obey your laws, and so those curses written by your servant Moses have fallen upon us. 12You warned us and our leaders that Jerusalem would suffer the worst disaster in human history, and you did exactly as you had threatened. 13We have not escaped any of the terrible curses written by Moses, and yet we have refused to beg you for mercy and to remind ourselves of how faithful you have always been. 14And when you finally punished us with this horrible disaster, that was also the right thing to do, because we deserved it so much.
15Our Lord God, with your own mighty arm you rescued us from Egypt and made yourself famous to this very day, but we have sinned terribly. 16In the past, you treated us with such kindness, that we now beg you to stop being so terribly angry with Jerusalem. After all, it is your chosen city built on your holy mountain, even though it has suffered public disgrace because of our sins and those of our ancestors.
17I am your servant, Lord God, and I beg you to answer my prayers and bring honor to yourself by having pity on your temple that lies in ruins. 18Please show mercy to your chosen city, not because we deserve it, but because of your great kindness. 19Forgive us! Hurry and do something, not only for your city and your chosen people, but to bring honor to yourself.
7Everything you do is right, our Lord. But still we suffer public disgrace because we have been unfaithful and have sinned against you. This includes all of us, both far and near--the people of Judah, Jerusalem, and Israel, as well as those you dragged away to foreign lands, 8and even our kings, our officials, and our ancestors. 9LORD God, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you 10and rejected your teachings that came to us from your servants the prophets.
11Everyone in Israel has stubbornly refused to obey your laws, and so those curses written by your servant Moses have fallen upon us. 12You warned us and our leaders that Jerusalem would suffer the worst disaster in human history, and you did exactly as you had threatened. 13We have not escaped any of the terrible curses written by Moses, and yet we have refused to beg you for mercy and to remind ourselves of how faithful you have always been. 14And when you finally punished us with this horrible disaster, that was also the right thing to do, because we deserved it so much.
15Our Lord God, with your own mighty arm you rescued us from Egypt and made yourself famous to this very day, but we have sinned terribly. 16In the past, you treated us with such kindness, that we now beg you to stop being so terribly angry with Jerusalem. After all, it is your chosen city built on your holy mountain, even though it has suffered public disgrace because of our sins and those of our ancestors.
17I am your servant, Lord God, and I beg you to answer my prayers and bring honor to yourself by having pity on your temple that lies in ruins. 18Please show mercy to your chosen city, not because we deserve it, but because of your great kindness. 19Forgive us! Hurry and do something, not only for your city and your chosen people, but to bring honor to yourself.
The Seventy Weeks
Daniel wrote:
20I was still confessing my sins and those of all Israel to the LORD my God, and I was praying for the good of his holy mountain, e] 21when Gabriel suddenly came flying in at the time of the evening sacrifice. This was the same Gabriel I had seen in my vision, 22and he explained: Daniel, I am here to help you understand the vision. 23God thinks highly of you, and at the very moment you started praying, I was sent to give you the answer. 24God has decided that for seventy weeks, f] your people and your holy city must suffer as the price of their sins. Then evil will disappear, and justice will rule forever; the visions and words of the prophets will come true, and a most holy place will be dedicated. g] 25You need to realize that from the command to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Chosen Leader, h] it will be seven weeks and another sixty-two weeks. i] Streets will be built in Jerusalem, and a trench will be dug around the city for protection, but these will be difficult times. j] 26At the end of the sixty-two weeks, k] the Chosen Leader l] will be killed and left with nothing. m] A foreign ruler and his army will sweep down like a mighty flood, leaving both the city and the temple in ruins, and war and destruction will continue until the end, just as God has decided. 27For one week n] this foreigner o] will make a firm agreement with many people, and halfway through this week, p] he will end all sacrifices and offerings. Then the " Horrible Thing" that causes destruction will be put there. And it will stay there until the time God has decided to destroy this one who destroys.
Daniel 10
Daniel's Vision beside the Tigris River
1In the third year q] of Cyrus the king of Persia, a message came to Daniel r] from God, and it was explained in a vision. The message was about a horrible war, and it was true. 2Daniel wrote: For three weeks I was in sorrow. 3I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair. s] 4Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, t] I was standing on the banks of the great Tigris River, 5when I looked up and saw someone dressed in linen and wearing a solid gold belt. u] 6His body was like a precious stone, v] his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming fires, his arms and legs like polished bronze, and his voice like the roar of a crowd. 7Although the people who were with me did not see the vision, they became so frightened that they scattered and hid. 8Only I saw this great vision. I became weak and pale, 9and at the sound of his voice, I fell facedown in a deep sleep. 10He raised me to my hands and knees 11and then said, " Daniel, your God thinks highly of you, and he has sent me. So stand up and pay close attention." I stood trembling, while the angel said: 12Daniel, don't be afraid! God has listened to your prayers since the first day you humbly asked for understanding, and he has sent me here. 13But the guardian angel w] of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, who is one of the strongest guardian angels, x] came to rescue me from the kings of Persia. y] 14Now I have come here to give you another vision about what will happen to your people in the future. 15While this angel was speaking to me, I stared at the ground, speechless. 16Then he appeared in human form and touched my lips. I said, " Sir, this vision has brought me great pain and has drained my strength. 17I am merely your servant. How can I possibly speak with someone so powerful, when I am almost too weak to get my breath?"
18-19The angel touched me a second time and said, " Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong."
At this, I regained my strength and replied, " Please speak! You have already made me feel much better."
20Then the angel said:
Now do you understand why I have come? Soon I must leave to fight against the guardian angel of Persia. Then after I have defeated him, the guardian angel of Greece will attack me. 21I will tell you what is written in The Book of Truth. But first, you must realize that no one except Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, is on my side.
18-19The angel touched me a second time and said, " Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong."
At this, I regained my strength and replied, " Please speak! You have already made me feel much better."
20Then the angel said:
Now do you understand why I have come? Soon I must leave to fight against the guardian angel of Persia. Then after I have defeated him, the guardian angel of Greece will attack me. 21I will tell you what is written in The Book of Truth. But first, you must realize that no one except Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, is on my side.
Daniel 11
1You also need to know that I protected and helped Darius the Mede z] in his first year as king.
Footnotes:- Daniel 9:1 Darius the Mede: See 5.31.
- Daniel 9:1 Xerxes: Hebrew " Ahasuerus."
- Daniel 9:1 seventy years: See Jeremiah 25.11-13; 29.10.
- Daniel 9:3 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
- Daniel 9:20 holy mountain: Jerusalem (see verse 16) or the temple.
- Daniel 9:24 seventy weeks: Or " seventy times seven years."
- Daniel 9:24 a most holy place will be dedicated: Or " God's Holy One will appear."
- Daniel 9:25 the Chosen Leader: Or " a chosen leader." In Hebrew the word " chosen" means " to pour oil (on someone's head)." In Old Testament times it was the custom to pour oil on a person's head when that person was chosen to be a priest or a king.
- Daniel 9:25 seven weeks and another sixty-two weeks: Or " seven times seven years and another sixty-two times seven years."
- Daniel 9:25 it will be seven. . . difficult times: Or " it will be seven weeks. Then streets will be built in Jerusalem, and a trench will be dug around the city for protection. But Jerusalem will have difficult times for sixty-two weeks."
- Daniel 9:26 sixty-two weeks: Or " sixty-two times seven years."
- Daniel 9:26 the Chosen Leader: See the note at 9.25.
- Daniel 9:26 left with nothing: Or " no one will take his place."
- Daniel 9:27 one week: Or " seven years."
- Daniel 9:27 this foreigner: Or " the Chosen Leader."
- Daniel 9:27 halfway through this week: Or " for half of this week of seven years."
- Daniel 10:1 third year: 536 B.C.
- Daniel 10:1 Daniel: See the note at 2.26.
- Daniel 10:3 olive oil. . . hair: On special occasions, it was the custom to put olive oil on one's face and hair.
- Daniel 10:4 first month: Nisan (also known as Abib), the first month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-March to mid-April.
- Daniel 10:5 solid gold belt: Hebrew " belt of gold from Uphaz."
- Daniel 10:6 a precious stone: The Hebrew text has " beryl," which is green or bluish-green.
- Daniel 10:13 guardian angel: Hebrew " prince."
- Daniel 10:13 one of the strongest guardian angels: Hebrew " chief prince."
- Daniel 10:13 came. . . Persia: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Daniel 11:1 Darius the Mede: See 5.30.
Footnotes:
- Daniel 9:1 Darius the Mede: See 5.31.
- Daniel 9:1 Xerxes: Hebrew " Ahasuerus."
- Daniel 9:1 seventy years: See Jeremiah 25.11-13; 29.10.
- Daniel 9:3 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
- Daniel 9:20 holy mountain: Jerusalem (see verse 16) or the temple.
- Daniel 9:24 seventy weeks: Or " seventy times seven years."
- Daniel 9:24 a most holy place will be dedicated: Or " God's Holy One will appear."
- Daniel 9:25 the Chosen Leader: Or " a chosen leader." In Hebrew the word " chosen" means " to pour oil (on someone's head)." In Old Testament times it was the custom to pour oil on a person's head when that person was chosen to be a priest or a king.
- Daniel 9:25 seven weeks and another sixty-two weeks: Or " seven times seven years and another sixty-two times seven years."
- Daniel 9:25 it will be seven. . . difficult times: Or " it will be seven weeks. Then streets will be built in Jerusalem, and a trench will be dug around the city for protection. But Jerusalem will have difficult times for sixty-two weeks."
- Daniel 9:26 sixty-two weeks: Or " sixty-two times seven years."
- Daniel 9:26 the Chosen Leader: See the note at 9.25.
- Daniel 9:26 left with nothing: Or " no one will take his place."
- Daniel 9:27 one week: Or " seven years."
- Daniel 9:27 this foreigner: Or " the Chosen Leader."
- Daniel 9:27 halfway through this week: Or " for half of this week of seven years."
- Daniel 10:1 third year: 536 B.C.
- Daniel 10:1 Daniel: See the note at 2.26.
- Daniel 10:3 olive oil. . . hair: On special occasions, it was the custom to put olive oil on one's face and hair.
- Daniel 10:4 first month: Nisan (also known as Abib), the first month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-March to mid-April.
- Daniel 10:5 solid gold belt: Hebrew " belt of gold from Uphaz."
- Daniel 10:6 a precious stone: The Hebrew text has " beryl," which is green or bluish-green.
- Daniel 10:13 guardian angel: Hebrew " prince."
- Daniel 10:13 one of the strongest guardian angels: Hebrew " chief prince."
- Daniel 10:13 came. . . Persia: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Daniel 11:1 Darius the Mede: See 5.30.
1 John 2:18-3:6 (Contemporary English Version)
The Enemy of Christ
18Children, this is the last hour. You heard that the enemy of Christ would appear at this time, and many of Christ's enemies have already appeared. So we know that the last hour is here. 19These people came from our own group, yet they were not part of us. If they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. But they left, which proves that they did not belong to our group. 20Christ, the Holy One, a] has blessed b] you, and now all of you understand. c] 21I did not need to write you about the truth, since you already know it. You also know that liars do not belong to the truth. 22And a liar is anyone who says that Jesus isn't truly Christ. Anyone who says this is an enemy of Christ and rejects both the Father and the Son. 23If we reject the Son, we reject the Father. But if we say that we accept the Son, we have the Father. 24Keep thinking about the message you first heard, and you will always be one in your heart with the Son and with the Father. 25The Son d] has promised us e] eternal life. 26I am writing to warn you about those people who are misleading you. 27But Christ has blessed you with the Holy Spirit. f] Now the Spirit stays in you, and you don't need any teachers. The Spirit is truthful and teaches you everything. So stay one in your heart with Christ, just as the Spirit has taught you to do.
Children of God
28Children, stay one in your hearts with Christ. Then when he returns, we will have confidence and won't have to hide in shame. 29You know that Christ always does right and that everyone who does right is a child of God.
1 John 3
1Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. But since the people of this world did not know who Christ g] is, they don't know who we are. 2My dear friends, we are already God's children, though what we will be hasn't yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is. 3This hope makes us keep ourselves holy, just as Christ h] is holy. 4Everyone who sins breaks God's law, because sin is the same as breaking God's law. 5You know that Christ came to take away sins. He isn't sinful, 6and people who stay one in their hearts with him won't keep on sinning. If they do keep on sinning, they don't know Christ, and they have never seen him.
Footnotes:- 1 John 2:20 Christ, the Holy One: The Greek text has "the Holy One" which may refer either to Christ or to God the Father.
- 1 John 2:20 blessed: This translates a word which means "to pour olive oil on (someone's head)." In Old Testament times it was the custom to pour olive oil on a person's head when that person was chosen to be a priest or a king. Here the meaning is not clear. It may refer to the ceremony of pouring olive oil on the followers of the Lord right before they were baptized or it may refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit which they were given at baptism (see verse 27).
- 1 John 2:20 now all of you understand: Some manuscripts have "you understand all things."
- 1 John 2:25 The Son: The Greek text has "he" and may refer to God the Father.
- 1 John 2:25 us: Some manuscripts have "you."
- 1 John 2:27 Christ has blessed you with the Holy Spirit: The Greek text has "You received a pouring on of olive oil from him" (see verse 20). The "pouring on of olive oil" is here taken to refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit, and "he" may refer either to Christ or to the Father.
- 1 John 3:1 Christ: The Greek text has "he" and may refer to God.
- 1 John 3:3 Christ: The Greek text has "that one" and may refer to God.
Footnotes:
- 1 John 2:20 Christ, the Holy One: The Greek text has "the Holy One" which may refer either to Christ or to God the Father.
- 1 John 2:20 blessed: This translates a word which means "to pour olive oil on (someone's head)." In Old Testament times it was the custom to pour olive oil on a person's head when that person was chosen to be a priest or a king. Here the meaning is not clear. It may refer to the ceremony of pouring olive oil on the followers of the Lord right before they were baptized or it may refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit which they were given at baptism (see verse 27).
- 1 John 2:20 now all of you understand: Some manuscripts have "you understand all things."
- 1 John 2:25 The Son: The Greek text has "he" and may refer to God the Father.
- 1 John 2:25 us: Some manuscripts have "you."
- 1 John 2:27 Christ has blessed you with the Holy Spirit: The Greek text has "You received a pouring on of olive oil from him" (see verse 20). The "pouring on of olive oil" is here taken to refer to the gift of the Holy Spirit, and "he" may refer either to Christ or to the Father.
- 1 John 3:1 Christ: The Greek text has "he" and may refer to God.
- 1 John 3:3 Christ: The Greek text has "that one" and may refer to God.
Psalm 121:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 121
(A song for worship.)
The LORD Will Protect His People
1I look to the hills! Where will I find help?
2It will come from the LORD,
who created the heavens
and the earth.
3The LORD is your protector,
and he won't go to sleep
or let you stumble.
4The protector of Israel
doesn't doze
or ever get drowsy.
5The LORD is your protector,
there at your right side
to shade you from the sun.
6You won't be harmed
by the sun during the day
or by the moon a] at night. 7The LORD will protect you
and keep you safe
from all dangers.
8The LORD will protect you
now and always
wherever you go.
Footnotes:- Psalm 121:6 harmed. . . sun. . . moon: In ancient times people saw the harmful effects of the rays of the sun, and they thought that certain illnesses (especially mental disorders) were also caused by the rays of the moon.
2It will come from the LORD,
who created the heavens
and the earth.
3The LORD is your protector,
and he won't go to sleep
or let you stumble.
4The protector of Israel
doesn't doze
or ever get drowsy.
5The LORD is your protector,
there at your right side
to shade you from the sun.
6You won't be harmed
by the sun during the day
or by the moon a] at night. 7The LORD will protect you
and keep you safe
from all dangers.
8The LORD will protect you
now and always
wherever you go.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 121:6 harmed. . . sun. . . moon: In ancient times people saw the harmful effects of the rays of the sun, and they thought that certain illnesses (especially mental disorders) were also caused by the rays of the moon.
Proverbs 28:27-28 (Contemporary English Version)
27Giving to the poor
will keep you from poverty,
but if you close your eyes
to their needs,
everyone will curse you.
28When crooks are in control,
everyone tries to hide,
but when they lose power,
good people are everywhere.
will keep you from poverty,
but if you close your eyes
to their needs,
everyone will curse you.
28When crooks are in control,
everyone tries to hide,
but when they lose power,
good people are everywhere.
Thought for the Day
“Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son.” (Hebrews 1:1-2 - Contemporary English Version) Although God has spoken to different people in different places at different times, the definitive bearer of his message was his son, Jesus Christ. Thought him, we can understand both God's will and word.
Quote for the Day
“Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son.” (Hebrews 1:1-2 - Contemporary English Version) Although God has spoken to different people in different places at different times, the definitive bearer of his message was his son, Jesus Christ. Thought him, we can understand both God's will and word.
American lyricist and playwright, Adolph Green wrote, “As a main ingredient to the show, it has to have truth, represent truth, or else it won't last.”
Joke for Today
A woman was trying hard to get the catsup to come out of the bottle. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the phone.
"It's the minister, Mommy" the child said to her mother.
Then she added, "Mommy can't come to the phone right now. She's hitting the bottle."
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 governments recognize that their nations will be judged based on how they treat the poor and the powerless.
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