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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
June 25 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Samuel 18
Chapter 18
Absalom Killed
1 Then David (F1)took a count of the people who were with him and (C1)appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.2 And David sent the people out, (C1)a third (F1)under the command of Joab, a third (F1)under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third (F1)under the command of (C2)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, "I myself will certainly go out with you also."3 But the people said, "(C1)You should not go out; for if in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But (F1)you are (F2)worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you will be ready to help us from the city."4 Then the king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So (C1)the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.5 But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake." And (C1)all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in (C1)the forest of Ephraim.7 The people of Israel were (F1)defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men.8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then (C1)his head caught firmly in the oak, and he was (F1)left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.10 When a certain man saw him, he informed Joab and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."11 Then Joab said to the man who had informed him, "So behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been (F1)my duty to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt."12 But the man said to Joab, "Even if I were to (F1)receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king's son; for (C1)in our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, '(F2)Protect the young man Absalom for me!'13 "Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against (F1)his life (and (C1)there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have (F2)avoided me."14 Then Joab said, "I will not (F1)waste time here with you." (C1)So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the (F2)midst of the oak.15 And ten young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Then (C1)Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people.17 And they took Absalom and threw him into (F1)a deep pit in the forest, and (C1)erected over him a very large pile of stones. And (C2)all Israel fled, each to his own tent.18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and (C1)set up for himself a memorial stone, which is in (C2)the King's Valley, for he said, "(C3)I have no son to (F1)continue my name." So he named the memorial stone after his own name, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.
David Is Grief-stricken
19 Then (C1)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news (C2)that the LORD has (F1)freed him from the hand of his enemies!"20 But Joab said to him, "You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king's son is dead."21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.22 However, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why would you run, my son, since (C1)you will have no messenger's reward for going?"23 "But whatever happens," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed by the Cushite.
24 Now (C1)David was sitting between the two gates; and (C2)the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself.25 So the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth." And he came nearer and nearer.26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, "Behold, another man is running by himself." And the king said, "This one also is bringing good news."27 The watchman said, "I (F1)think the running form of the first one (C1)is like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "(C2)This is a good man, and he is coming with good news."
28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "(F1)All is well." And (C1)he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, "(C2)Blessed is the LORD your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king."29 But the king said, "(C1)Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but (C2)I did not know what it was."30 Then the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So he turned aside and stood still.
31 Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, "Let my lord the king receive good news, for (C1)the LORD has (F1)freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you."32 Then the king said to the Cushite, "(C1)Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "(C2)May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!"
33 (F1)Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: "(C1)My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! (C2)If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!"
Daniel 11:20-45
Chapter 11
20 "Then in his place one will arise who will (C1)allow an (F1)oppressor to pass through the (F2)Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be broken, though not in anger nor in battle.21 "And in his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the majesty of kingship has not been conferred; but he will come in a time of tranquility and (C1)seize the kingdom by intrigue.22 "And the overflowing (C1)forces will be flooded away from him and smashed, and also the prince of the covenant.23 "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.24 "(F1)In a time of tranquility he will enter the (C1)richest parts of the (F2)realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers did not, nor his (F3)ancestors; he will distribute plunder, spoils, and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time.25 "And he will stir up his strength and (F1)courage against the (C1)king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, because schemes will be devised against him.26 "Those who eat his choice food will (F1)destroy him, and his army will (F2)(C1)overflow, but many will fall down slain.27 "As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on (C1)evil, and they will (C2)speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, because the (C3)end is still to come at the appointed time.28 "Then he will return to his land with much (F1)plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
29 "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but (F1)this last time it will not turn out the way it did before.30 "For ships of (F1)(C1)Kittim will come against him; therefore he will withdraw in fear and will return and curse the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and pay attention to those who abandon the holy covenant.31 "Forces from him will arise, (C1)desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the (C2)abomination (F1)of desolation.32 "And by (C1)smooth words he will (F1)turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be (C2)strong and take action.33 "And (F1)(C1)those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will (C2)fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days.34 "Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will (C1)join with them in (C2)hypocrisy.35 "And some of (F1)those who have insight will fall, to (C1)refine, (C2)purge, and (F2)(C3)cleanse them until the (C4)end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.
36 "Then the king will (C1)do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and (C2)boast against every god and will (C3)speak (F1)dreadful things against the (C4)God of gods; and he will be successful until the (C5)indignation is finished, because that which is (C6)determined will be done.37 "And he will show no regard for the (F1)gods of his fathers or for the (F2)desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will boast against them all.38 "But (F1)instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, precious stones, and treasures.39 "And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to (F1)those who acknowledge him and will make them rulers over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.
40 "And at the (C1)end time the (C2)king of the South will wage war with him, and the (C3)king of the North will (C4)storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, (C5)overflow them, and pass through.41 "He will also enter the (F1)(C1)Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, (C2)Moab, and the foremost of the sons of (C3)Ammon.42 "Then he will reach out with his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.43 "But he will (F1)gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and (C1)Libyans and (C2)Ethiopians will follow at his (F2)heels.44 "But rumors from the East and from the North will terrify him, and he will go out with great wrath to eliminate and (F1)annihilate many.45 "And he will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful (C1)Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
Mark 7:14-37
Chapter 7
14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:15 there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person(F1)."
17 And when He later entered a house, away from the crowd, (C1)His disciples asked Him about the parable.18 And He (*)said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him,19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and (F1)is eliminated?" (Thereby He declared (C1)all foods (C2)clean.)20 And He was saying, "(C1)That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person.21 "For from within, out of the (F1)hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery,22 deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, (F1)(C1)envy, slander, (F2)pride, and foolishness.23 "All these evil things come from within and defile the person."
The Syrophoenician Woman
24 (C1)Now Jesus got up and went from there to the region of (C2)Tyre(F1). And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know about it; and yet He could not escape notice.25 But after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet.26 Now the woman was a (F1)Gentile, of Syrophoenician descent. And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.27 And He was saying to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not (F1)good to take the children's bread and throw it to the (F2)dogs."28 But she answered and (*)said to Him, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs."29 And He said to her, "Because of this (F1)answer, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter."30 And after going back to her home, she found the child (F1)lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31 (C1)Again He left the region of (C2)Tyre and came through Sidon to (C3)the Sea of Galilee, within the region of (C4)Decapolis.32 And they (*)brought to Him one who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they (*)begged Him to (C1)lay His hand on him.33 And Jesus (C1)took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers in his ears, and after (C1)spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva;34 and looking up to heaven with a deep (C1)sigh, He (*)said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!"35 And his ears were opened, and the (F1)impediment of his tongue was (F2)removed, and he began speaking plainly.36 And (C1)He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they (C2)continued to proclaim it.37 And they were utterly astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes even those who are deaf hear, and those who are unable to talk, speak."
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
