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Daily Bible Reading
June 23 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Samuel 16
Chapter 16
Ziba, a False Servant
1 Now when David had gone on (C1)a little beyond the summit, behold, (C2)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him (C3)with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine.2 And the king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "(C1)The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, (C2)for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink."3 Then the king said, "And where is (C1)your master's son?" And (C2)Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.'"4 So the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!"
David Is Cursed
5 When King David came to (C1)Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and (C2)his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, (C3)cursing as he came.6 He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.7 This is what Shimei said when he cursed: "Go away, go away, (C1)you man of bloodshed and worthless man!8 "(C1)The LORD has brought back upon you all (C2)the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!"
9 Then (C1)Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should (C2)this dead dog (C3)curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and (F1)cut off his head."10 But the king said, "(F1)(C1)What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? (C2)If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' (C3)then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, (C1)my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, (C2)for the LORD has told him.12 "Perhaps the LORD will look on my (F1)misery and (F2)(C1)return good to me instead of his cursing this day."13 So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him.14 And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
15 (C1)Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.16 Now it came about, when (C1)Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that (C2)Hushai said to Absalom, "(C3)Long live the king! Long live the king!"17 But Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your (F1)loyalty to your friend? (C1)Why did you not go with your friend?"18 So Hushai said to Absalom, "No! For whomever the LORD, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain.19 "Besides, (C1)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father's presence, so I shall be in your presence."
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your advice. What should we do?"21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, "(C1)Have relations with your father's concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened."22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, (C1)and Absalom had relations with his father's concubines (C2)in the sight of all Israel.23 Now (C1)the advice of Ahithophel, which he (F1)gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; (C2)so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.
Daniel 10:1-21
Chapter 10
Daniel Is Terrified by a Vision
1 In the third year of (C1)Cyrus king of Persia, a (F1)message was revealed to (C2)Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the (F1)(C3)message was true and it concerned great (F2)conflict, but he understood the (F1)message and had an (C4)understanding of the vision.
2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been (C1)mourning for three (F1)entire weeks.3 I (C1)did not eat any (F1)tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great (C1)river, that is, the (F1)Tigris,5 I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man (C1)dressed in linen, whose waist (C2)had a belt of pure (C3)gold of Uphaz.6 His body also was like topaz, his face (F1)had the appearance of lightning, (C1)his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.7 Now I, Daniel, (C1)alone saw the vision, while the (C2)men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great (C3)fear fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.8 So I was (C1)left alone and saw this great vision; yet (C2)no strength was left in me, for my complexion turned to (F1)a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I (C1)fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
Daniel Comforted
10 Then behold, a hand (C1)touched me and shook me on my (F1)hands and knees.11 And he said to me, "(C1)Daniel, (F1)you who are treasured, (C2)understand the words that I am about to tell you and (C3)stand at your place, for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up (C4)trembling.12 Then he said to me, "(C1)Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on (C2)humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come (C3)in response to your words.13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing (F1)in my way for twenty-one days; then behold, (C1)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.14 "Now I have come to (C1)explain to you what will happen to your people in the (F1)(C2)latter days, because the vision pertains to (C3)the days still future."
15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I (F1)turned my face toward the ground and became (C1)speechless.16 And behold, (F1)(C1)one who resembled a human was (C2)touching my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, "My lord, due to the vision (F2)(C3)anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength.17 "For (C1)how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now (C2)no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me."
18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and (C1)strengthened me.19 And he said, "(F1)You who are treasured, (C1)do not be afraid. Peace be to you; take (C2)courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I felt strengthened and said, "May my lord speak, for you have (C3)strengthened me."20 Then he said, "Do you (F1)understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am leaving, and behold, the (C1)prince of (F2)Greece is about to come.21 "However, I will tell you what is recorded in the writing of (C1)truth. Yet there is no one who (F1)stands firmly with me against these forces except (C2)Michael your prince.
Mark 6:30-56
Chapter 6
30 (C1)The (C2)apostles (*)gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.31 And He (*)said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while." (For there were many people coming and going, and (C1)they did not even have time to eat.)32 (C1)And they went away in (C2)the boat to a secluded place by themselves.
Five Thousand Men Fed
33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them.34 When Jesus went (F1)ashore, He (C1)saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because (C2)they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.35 And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, "(F1)This place is secluded and it is already late;36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves (F1)something to eat."37 But He answered them, "You give them something to eat!" (C1)And they (*)said to Him, "Shall we go and spend two hundred (F1)(C2)denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?"38 But He (*)said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look!" And when they found out, they (*)said, "Five, and two fish."39 And He ordered them all to recline by groups on the green grass.40 They reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties.41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He (C1)blessed the food and broke the loaves and He gave them to the disciples again and again to set before them; and He divided the two fish among them all.42 And they all ate and were satisfied;43 and they picked up twelve full (C1)baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and of the fish.44 There were (C1)five thousand (F1)men who ate the loaves.Jesus Walks on the Water
45 (C1)And immediately Jesus had His disciples get into (C2)the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to (C3)Bethsaida, while He Himself (*)dismissed the crowd.46 And after (C1)saying goodbye to them, He left (C2)for the mountain to pray.
47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.48 Seeing them (F1)straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—at about the (F2)(C1)fourth watch of the night, He (*)came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out;50 for they all saw Him and were (F1)terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and (*)said to them, "(C1)Take courage; it is I, (C2)do not be afraid."51 Then He got into (C1)the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished,52 for (C1)they (F1)had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but (F2)their hearts (C2)were hardened.
Healing at Gennesaret
53 (C1)When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored at the shore.54 And when they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,55 and ran about that entire country and began carrying here and there on their pallets those who were sick, (F1)to wherever they heard He was.56 And wherever He entered villages, or cities, or a countryside, they were laying the sick in the marketplaces and imploring Him that they might just (C1)touch (C2)the fringe of His cloak; and all who touched it were being (F1)healed.
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