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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
March 22 - Bible-in-a-Year
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Numbers 13-14
Chapter 13
Spies View the Land
1 Then (C1)the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,2 "(C1)Send out men for yourself to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, every one a leader among them."3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the (F1)command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel.4 These then were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur;5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori;6 from the tribe of Judah, (C1)Caleb the son of Jephunneh;7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph;8 from the tribe of Ephraim, (C1)Hoshea the son of Nun;9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu;10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi;11 from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi;12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli;13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael;14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi;15 and from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land; but Moses called (C1)Hoshea the son of Nun, (F1)Joshua.
17 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, "Go up there into (C1)the (F1)Negev; then go up into the hill country.18 "See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many.19 "And how is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are the people in open camps or in fortifications?20 "And (C1)how is the land, is it (F1)productive or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? And (C2)show yourselves courageous and get some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
21 So they went up and spied out the land from (C1)the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, (F1)(C2)at Lebo-hamath.22 When they had gone up into (C1)the Negev, (F1)they came to Hebron where (C2)Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the (F2)descendants of (C3)Anak were. (Hebron was built seven years before (C4)Zoan in Egypt.)
23 Then they came to the (F1)Valley of (F2)(C1)Eshcol, and from there they cut off a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs.24 That place was called the Valley of (F1)Eshcol, because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut off from there.
The Spies' Reports
25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days,26 they went on and came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, (F1)in the wilderness of Paran at (C1)Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.27 So they reported to him and said, "We came into the land where you sent us, and (C1)it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and (C2)this is its fruit.28 "Nevertheless, (C1)the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And indeed, we saw (C2)the (F1)descendants of Anak there!29 "Amalek is living in the land of (C1)the Negev, the Hittites, the Jebusites, and (C2)the Amorites are living in the hill country, and (C3)the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan."
30 Then Caleb quieted the people (F1)before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it."31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "(C1)We are not able to go up against the people, because they are too strong for us."32 So they brought (C1)a bad report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying, "The land through which we have gone to spy out is (C2)a land that devours its inhabitants; and (C3)all the people whom we saw in it are people of great stature.33 "We also saw the (F1)(C1)Nephilim there (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and (C2)we were like (F2)grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
Chapter 14
The People Rebel
1 Then all the congregation (F1)raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept (F2)that night.2 And all the sons of Israel (C1)grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, "(C2)If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness!3 "So why is the LORD bringing us into this land (C1)to fall by the sword? (C2)Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?"4 So they said to one another, "(C1)Let's appoint a leader and return to Egypt!"
5 (C1)Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, "(C1)The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.8 "(C1)If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—(C2)a land which flows with milk and honey.9 "Only (C1)do not rebel against the LORD; and do not (C2)fear the people of the land, for they will be our (F1)prey. Their (F2)protection is gone from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."10 (C1)But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then (C2)the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
Moses Pleads for the People
11 (C1)And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people be disrespectful to Me? And how long will (C2)they not (F1)believe in Me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?12 "I will strike them with (F1)(C1)plague and dispossess them, and I (C2)will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they."
13 (C1)But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people up from their midst,14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, LORD, are in the midst of this people, because (C1)You, LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.15 "Now if You put this people to death (F1)all at once, (C1)then the nations who have heard of Your fame will (F2)say,16 'Since the LORD (C1)could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, He slaughtered them in the wilderness.'17 "So now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying,18 '(C1)The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgiving wrongdoing and violation of His Law; but (C2)He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, (C3)inflicting the (F1)punishment of the fathers on the children (F2)to the third and the fourth generations.'19 "Please (C1)forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your mercy, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."
The LORD Pardons and Rebukes
20 So the LORD said, "(C1)I have forgiven them in accordance with your word;21 however, (C1)as I live, (F1)(C2)all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.22 "Certainly (C1)all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet (C2)have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice,23 (C1)shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it.24 "But as for My servant Caleb, (C1)because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, (C2)I will bring him into the land which he (F1)entered, and his (F2)descendants shall take possession of it.25 "(C1)Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the (F1)Red Sea."
26 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron again, saying,27 "How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who are (C1)grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are (F1)voicing against Me.28 "Say to them, '(C1)As I live,' declares the LORD, 'just as (C2)you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you;29 (C1)your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, all (C2)your (F1)numbered men according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.30 'By no means will you come into the land where I (F1)swore to settle you, (C1)except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.31 '(C1)Your children, however, whom you said would become plunder—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected.32 '(C1)But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness.33 'Also, your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for (C1)forty years, and they will (F1)suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your bodies perish in the wilderness.34 'In accordance with the (C1)number of days that you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall suffer the punishment for your (F1)guilt a year, that is, forty years, and you will know My opposition.35 '(C1)I, the LORD, have spoken, I certainly will do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be worn out in this wilderness, and there they shall die.'"
36 (C1)As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and led all the congregation to grumble against him by bringing a bad report about the land,37 (C1)those men who brought the bad report of the land also died by a (C2)plague in the presence of the LORD.38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land.
Israel Repulsed
39 Now when Moses spoke (C1)these words to all the sons of Israel, (C2)the people mourned greatly.40 In the morning, however, they got up early and went up to the (F1)ridge of the hill country, saying, "(C1)Here we are; and we will go up to the place which the LORD has (F2)promised, for (F3)we have sinned."41 But Moses said, "(C1)Why then are you (C2)violating the (F1)command of the LORD, when doing so will not succeed?42 "(C1)Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, (F1)to prevent you from being defeated (F2)by your enemies.43 "For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there (F1)to confront you, and you will fall by the sword, since you have turned back from following the LORD. And the LORD will not be with you."44 But they foolishly dared to go up to the (F1)ridge of the hill country; neither (C1)the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses left the camp.45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and scattered them as far as (C1)Hormah.
Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
Chapter 9
People Are in the Hand of God
1 For I have taken all this to my heart, even to (F1)examine (F2)it all, that righteous people, wise people, and their deeds are (C1)in the hand of God. (C2)People do not know whether it will be (C3)love or hatred; anything (F3)awaits them.
2 (C1)It is the same for all. There is (C2)one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and the unclean; for the person who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good person is, so is the sinner; the one who swears an oath is just as the one who (F1)is afraid to swear an oath.3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is (C1)one fate for everyone. Furthermore, (C2)the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and (C3)insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward they go to the dead.4 For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion.5 For the living know that they will die; but the dead (C1)do not know anything, nor do they have a reward any longer, for their (C2)memory is forgotten.6 Indeed their love, their hate, and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a (C1)share in all that is done under the sun.
7 Go then, (C1)eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.8 See that your (C1)clothes are white all the time, and that there is no lack of (C2)oil on your head.9 (F1)Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your (C1)futile life which He has given you under the sun, (F2)all the days of your futility; for this is your (C2)reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun.
Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, (C1)do it with all your might; for there is no (C2)activity, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in (C3)Sheol where you are going.
11 I again saw under the sun that the (C1)race is not to the swift and the (C2)battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor (C3)wealth to the discerning, nor favor to the skillful; for time and (C4)chance overtake them all.12 For indeed, a person does not (C1)know his time: like fish that are caught in a treacherous net and (C2)birds caught in a snare, so the sons of mankind are (C3)ensnared at an evil time when it (C4)suddenly falls on them.<
Matthew 20:1-16
Chapter 20
Laborers in the Vineyard
1 "For (C1)the kingdom of heaven is like (F1)a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his (C2)vineyard.2 "When he had agreed with the laborers for a (F1)denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 "And he went out about the (F1)third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;4 and to those he said, 'You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.' And so they went.5 "Again he went out about the (F1)sixth and the ninth hour, and did (F2)the same thing.6 "And about the (F1)eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he (*)said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'7 "They (*)said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He (*)said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'
8 "Now when (C1)evening came, the (F1)owner of the vineyard (*)said to his (C2)foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.'9 "When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a (F1)denarius.10 "And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; (F1)but each of them also received a denarius.11 "When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,12 saying, 'These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day's work and the (C1)scorching heat.'13 "But he answered and said to one of them, '(C1)Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?14 'Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you.15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your (C1)eye (F1)envious because I am (F2)generous?'16 "So (C1)the last shall be first, and the first, last."<
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