Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Numbers 11:24–13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalm 52:1-9; and Proverbs 11:1-3. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Numbers 11:24-13:33 (Contemporary English Version)
24Moses told the people what the LORD had said. Then he chose seventy respected leaders and went with them to the sacred tent. While the leaders stood in a circle around the tent, Moses went inside, 25and the LORD spoke with him. Then the LORD took some authority [a] from Moses and gave it to the seventy leaders. And when the LORD's Spirit took control of them, they started shouting like prophets. But they did it only this one time. 26Eldad and Medad were two leaders who had not gone to the tent. But when the Spirit took control of them, they began shouting like prophets right there in camp. 27A boy ran to Moses and told him about Eldad and Medad.
28Joshua [b] was there helping Moses, as he had done since he was young. And he said to Moses, " Sir, you must stop them!" 29But Moses replied, " Are you concerned what this might do to me? I wish the LORD would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet." 30Then Moses and the seventy leaders went back to camp.
28Joshua [b] was there helping Moses, as he had done since he was young. And he said to Moses, " Sir, you must stop them!" 29But Moses replied, " Are you concerned what this might do to me? I wish the LORD would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet." 30Then Moses and the seventy leaders went back to camp.
The LORD Sends Quails
31Some time later the LORD sent a strong wind that blew quails in from the sea until Israel's camp was completely surrounded with birds, piled up about three feet high for miles in every direction. 32The people picked up quails for two days--each person filled at least fifty bushels. Then they spread them out to dry. 33But before the meat could be eaten, the LORD became angry and sent a disease through the camp. 34After they had buried the people who had been so greedy for meat, they called the place " Graves for the Greedy." [c] 35Israel then broke camp and traveled to Hazeroth.
Numbers 12
Miriam and Aaron Are Jealous of Moses
1-3Although Moses was the most humble person in all the world, Miriam and Aaron started complaining, " Moses had no right to marry that woman from Ethiopia! [d] Who does he think he is? The LORD has spoken to us, not just to him." The LORD heard their complaint 4and told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to come to the entrance of the sacred tent. 5There the LORD appeared in a cloud and told Aaron and Miriam to come closer. 6Then after commanding them to listen carefully, he said: " I, the LORD, speak to prophets
in visions and dreams.
7But my servant Moses
is the leader of my people.
8He sees me face to face,
and everything I say to him
is perfectly clear.
You have no right to criticize
my servant Moses."
9The LORD became angry at Aaron and Miriam. And after the LORD left 10and the cloud disappeared from over the sacred tent, Miriam's skin turned white with leprosy. [e] When Aaron saw what had happened to her, 11he said to Moses, " Sir, please don't punish us for doing such a foolish thing. 12Don't let Miriam's flesh rot away like a child born dead!" 13Moses prayed, " LORD God, please heal her."
14But the LORD replied, " Miriam would be disgraced for seven days if her father had punished her by spitting in her face. So make her stay outside the camp for seven days, before coming back."
15The people of Israel did not move their camp until Miriam returned seven days later. 16Then they left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Paran Desert.
in visions and dreams.
7But my servant Moses
is the leader of my people.
8He sees me face to face,
and everything I say to him
is perfectly clear.
You have no right to criticize
my servant Moses."
9The LORD became angry at Aaron and Miriam. And after the LORD left 10and the cloud disappeared from over the sacred tent, Miriam's skin turned white with leprosy. [e] When Aaron saw what had happened to her, 11he said to Moses, " Sir, please don't punish us for doing such a foolish thing. 12Don't let Miriam's flesh rot away like a child born dead!" 13Moses prayed, " LORD God, please heal her."
14But the LORD replied, " Miriam would be disgraced for seven days if her father had punished her by spitting in her face. So make her stay outside the camp for seven days, before coming back."
15The people of Israel did not move their camp until Miriam returned seven days later. 16Then they left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Paran Desert.
Numbers 13
Twelve Men Are Sent into Canaan
(Deuteronomy 1.19-33)
1The LORD said to Moses, 2" Choose a leader from each tribe and send them into Canaan to explore the land I am giving you." 3So Moses sent twelve tribal leaders from Israel's camp in the Paran Desert 4-16with orders to explore the land of Canaan. And here are their names:
Shammua son of Zaccur
from Reuben,
Shaphat son of Hori
from Simeon,
Caleb son of Jephunneh
from Judah,
Igal son of Joseph
from Issachar,
Joshua son of Nun
from Ephraim, [f] Palti son of Raphu
from Benjamin,
Gaddiel son of Sodi
from Zebulun,
Gaddi son of Susi
from Manasseh,
Ammiel son of Gemalli
from Dan,
Sethur son of Michael
from Asher,
Nahbi son of Vophsi
from Naphtali,
and Geuel son of Machi
from Gad.
17Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:
After you go through the Southern Desert of Canaan, continue north into the hill country 18and find out what those regions are like. Be sure to remember how many people live there, how strong they are, 19-20and if they live in open towns or walled cities. See if the land is good for growing crops and find out what kinds of trees grow there. It's time for grapes to ripen, so try to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.
21The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north. 22As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim [g] clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. 23-24When they got to Bunch Valley, [h] they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That's why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates [i] and figs.
Shammua son of Zaccur
from Reuben,
Shaphat son of Hori
from Simeon,
Caleb son of Jephunneh
from Judah,
Igal son of Joseph
from Issachar,
Joshua son of Nun
from Ephraim, [f] Palti son of Raphu
from Benjamin,
Gaddiel son of Sodi
from Zebulun,
Gaddi son of Susi
from Manasseh,
Ammiel son of Gemalli
from Dan,
Sethur son of Michael
from Asher,
Nahbi son of Vophsi
from Naphtali,
and Geuel son of Machi
from Gad.
17Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:
After you go through the Southern Desert of Canaan, continue north into the hill country 18and find out what those regions are like. Be sure to remember how many people live there, how strong they are, 19-20and if they live in open towns or walled cities. See if the land is good for growing crops and find out what kinds of trees grow there. It's time for grapes to ripen, so try to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.
21The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north. 22As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim [g] clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. 23-24When they got to Bunch Valley, [h] they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That's why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates [i] and figs.
The Men Report Back to the People
25After exploring the land of Canaan forty days, 26the twelve men returned to Kadesh in the Paran Desert and told Moses, Aaron, and the people what they had seen. They showed them the fruit 27and said: Look at this fruit! The land we explored is rich with milk and honey. 28But the people who live there are strong, and their cities are large and walled. We even saw the three Anakim [j] clans. 29Besides that, the Amalekites live in the Southern Desert; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites are in the hill country; and the Canaanites [k] live along the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. 30Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, " Let's go and take the land. I know we can do it!"
31But the other men replied, " Those people are much too strong for us." 32Then they started spreading rumors and saying, " We won't be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants. 33In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers."
Footnotes:- Numbers 11:25 some authority: Or " some of the Spirit's power."
- Numbers 11:28 Joshua: Hebrew " Joshua son of Nun."
- Numbers 11:34 Graves for the Greedy: Or " Kibroth-Hattaavah."
- Numbers 12:1 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has " Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
- Numbers 12:10 leprosy: See the note at 5.2,3.
- Numbers 13:4 Joshua. . . Ephraim: Hebrew " Hoshea son of Nun from Ephraim; Moses renamed him Joshua."
- Numbers 13:22 Anakim: Perhaps a group of very large people (see Deuteronomy 2.10,11,20,21).
- Numbers 13:23 Bunch Valley: Or " Eshcol Valley."
- Numbers 13:23 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
- Numbers 13:28 Anakim: See the note at verse 22.
- Numbers 13:29 Amalekites. . . Hittites. . . Jebusites. . . Amorites. . . Canaanites: These people lived in Canaan before the Israelites.
31But the other men replied, " Those people are much too strong for us." 32Then they started spreading rumors and saying, " We won't be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants. 33In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers."
Footnotes:
- Numbers 11:25 some authority: Or " some of the Spirit's power."
- Numbers 11:28 Joshua: Hebrew " Joshua son of Nun."
- Numbers 11:34 Graves for the Greedy: Or " Kibroth-Hattaavah."
- Numbers 12:1 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has " Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
- Numbers 12:10 leprosy: See the note at 5.2,3.
- Numbers 13:4 Joshua. . . Ephraim: Hebrew " Hoshea son of Nun from Ephraim; Moses renamed him Joshua."
- Numbers 13:22 Anakim: Perhaps a group of very large people (see Deuteronomy 2.10,11,20,21).
- Numbers 13:23 Bunch Valley: Or " Eshcol Valley."
- Numbers 13:23 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
- Numbers 13:28 Anakim: See the note at verse 22.
- Numbers 13:29 Amalekites. . . Hittites. . . Jebusites. . . Amorites. . . Canaanites: These people lived in Canaan before the Israelites.
Mark 14:22-52 (Contemporary English Version)
The Lord's Supper
(Matthew 26.26-30; Luke 22.14-23; 1 Corinthians 11.23-25)
22During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this. It is my body." 23Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He gave it to his disciples, and they all drank some. 24Then he said, "This is my blood, which is poured out for many people, and with it God makes his agreement. 25From now on I will not drink any wine, until I drink new wine in God's kingdom." 26Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Peter's Promise
(Matthew 26.31-35; Luke 22.31-34; John 13.36-38)
27Jesus said to his disciples, "All of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say, `I will strike down
the shepherd,
and the sheep
will be scattered.'
28But after I am raised to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."
29Peter spoke up, "Even if all the others reject you, I never will!"
30Jesus replied, "This very night before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me."
31But Peter was so sure of himself that he said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say that I don't know you!"
All the others said the same thing.
the shepherd,
and the sheep
will be scattered.'
28But after I am raised to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."
29Peter spoke up, "Even if all the others reject you, I never will!"
30Jesus replied, "This very night before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me."
31But Peter was so sure of himself that he said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say that I don't know you!"
All the others said the same thing.
Jesus Prays
(Matthew 26.36-46; Luke 22.39-46)
32Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, "Sit here while I pray." 33Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34told them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."
35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, "Father, [a] if it is possible, don't let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. [b] But do what you want, and not what I want."
37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, "Are you asleep? Can't you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."
39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.
41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, "Are you still sleeping and resting? [c] Enough of that! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here."
35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, "Father, [a] if it is possible, don't let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. [b] But do what you want, and not what I want."
37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, "Are you asleep? Can't you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."
39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.
41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, "Are you still sleeping and resting? [c] Enough of that! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here."
Jesus Is Arrested
(Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12)
43Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a mob of men armed with swords and clubs were with him. They had been sent by the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses. 44Judas had told them ahead of time, "Arrest the man I greet with a kiss. [d] Tie him up tight and lead him away." 45Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, "Teacher!" Then Judas kissed him, 46and the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48Jesus said to the mob, "Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true."
50All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.
Footnotes:- Mark 14:35 Father: The Greek text has "Abba," which is an Aramaic word meaning "father."
- Mark 14:35 by having me drink from this cup: See the note at 10.38.
- Mark 14:41 Are you still sleeping and resting: Or "You may as well keep on sleeping and resting."
- Mark 14:44 greet with a kiss: It was the custom for people to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.
47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48Jesus said to the mob, "Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true."
50All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.
Footnotes:
- Mark 14:35 Father: The Greek text has "Abba," which is an Aramaic word meaning "father."
- Mark 14:35 by having me drink from this cup: See the note at 10.38.
- Mark 14:41 Are you still sleeping and resting: Or "You may as well keep on sleeping and resting."
- Mark 14:44 greet with a kiss: It was the custom for people to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.
Psalm 52:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 52
(A special psalm by David for the music leader. He wrote this when Doeg from Edom went to Saul and said, "David has gone to Ahimelech's house.")
God Is in Control
1You people may be strong and brag about your sins,
but God can be trusted
day after day.
2You plan brutal crimes,
and your lying words cut
like a sharp razor.
3You would rather do evil
than good,
and tell lies
than speak the truth.
4You love to say cruel things,
and your words are a trap.
5God will destroy you forever!
He will grab you and drag you
from your homes.
You will be uprooted
and left to die.
6When good people see
this fearsome sight,
they will laugh and say,
7"Just look at them now!
Instead of trusting God,
they trusted their wealth
and their cruelty."
8But I am like an olive tree
growing in God's house,
and I can count on his love
forever and ever.
9I will always thank God
for what he has done;
I will praise his good name
when his people meet.
but God can be trusted
day after day.
2You plan brutal crimes,
and your lying words cut
like a sharp razor.
3You would rather do evil
than good,
and tell lies
than speak the truth.
4You love to say cruel things,
and your words are a trap.
5God will destroy you forever!
He will grab you and drag you
from your homes.
You will be uprooted
and left to die.
6When good people see
this fearsome sight,
they will laugh and say,
7"Just look at them now!
Instead of trusting God,
they trusted their wealth
and their cruelty."
8But I am like an olive tree
growing in God's house,
and I can count on his love
forever and ever.
9I will always thank God
for what he has done;
I will praise his good name
when his people meet.
Proverbs 11:1-3 (Contemporary English Version)
Proverbs 11
Watch What You Say and Do
1The LORD hates anyone who cheats,
but he likes everyone
who is honest.
2Too much pride
can put you to shame.
It's wiser to be humble.
3If you do the right thing,
honesty will be your guide.
But if you are crooked,
you will be trapped
by your own dishonesty.
but he likes everyone
who is honest.
2Too much pride
can put you to shame.
It's wiser to be humble.
3If you do the right thing,
honesty will be your guide.
But if you are crooked,
you will be trapped
by your own dishonesty.
Thought for the Day
“God saved us and chose us to be his holy people. We did nothing to deserve this, but God planned it because he is so kind. Even before time began God planned for Christ Jesus to show kindness to us.” (2 Timothy 1:9 - Contemporary English Version) Our relationship with God has far more to do with the kindness shown to us than the words used and promises made by us. Salvation is a gift given and not a wage earned.
British statesman, trade union leader and Labour Party politician, Ernest Bevin wrote, "Unintelligent people always look for a scapegoat."
A Joke for Today
A journalist assigned to the Jerusalem bureau takes an apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall. Every day when she looks out, she sees an old Jewish man praying vigorously. So, the journalist goes down and introduces herself to the old man. She asks, "You come every day to the wall. How long have you done that, and what are you praying for?"
The old man replies, "I have come here to pray every day for 25 years. In the morning I pray for world peace and then for the brotherhood of man. I go home, have a cup of tea, and I come back and pray for the eradication of illness and disease from the earth." The journalist is amazed. "How does it make you feel to come here every day for 25 years and pray for these things?" she asks. The old man looks at her sadly. "Like I'm talking to a wall."
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 nations work to secure and enhance international peace.
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