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Saturday, April 27th, 2024
the Fourth Week after Easter

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Bible Reading Plan

Daily Bible Reading

June 1 - Old & New Testament
niv

Jump to: Psalms 39,40,41 • John 12:27-50

Psalms 39,40,41

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Psalm 39^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹ I said, "I will watch my ways^(a)
     and keep my tongue from sin;^(b)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth^(c)
     while in the presence of the wicked."
² So I remained utterly silent,^(d)
     not even saying anything good.
But my anguish^(e) increased;
³      my heart grew hot^(f) within me.
While I meditated,^(g) the fire^(h) burned;
     then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ "Show me, Lord , my life's end
     and the number of my days;⁽ⁱ⁾
     let me know how fleeting^(j) my life is.^(k)
⁵ You have made my days^(l) a mere handbreadth;
     the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,^(m)
     even those who seem secure.^[b]

⁶ "Surely everyone goes around⁽ⁿ⁾ like a mere phantom;^(o)
in vain they rush about,^(p) heaping up wealth^(q)
without knowing whose it will finally be.^(r)

⁷ "But now, Lord, what do I look for?
     My hope is in you.^(s)
⁸ Save me^(t) from all my transgressions;^(u)
     do not make me the scorn^(v) of fools.
⁹ I was silent;^(w) I would not open my mouth,^(x)
     for you are the one who has done this.^(y)
¹⁰ Remove your scourge from me;
     I am overcome by the blow^(z) of your hand.^(aa)
¹¹ When you rebuke^(ab) and discipline^(ac) anyone for their sin,
     you consume^(ad) their wealth like a moth^(ae)—
     surely everyone is but a breath.^(af)

¹² "Hear my prayer, Lord ,
     listen to my cry for help;^(ag)
     do not be deaf^(ah) to my weeping.^(ai)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,^(aj)
     a stranger,^(ak) as all my ancestors were.^(al)
¹³ Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
     before I depart and am no more."^(am)

Psalm 40^[a]^(a)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ I waited patiently^(b) for the Lord ;
     he turned to me and heard my cry.^(c)
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,^(d)
     out of the mud^(e) and mire;^(f)
he set my feet^(g) on a rock^(h)
     and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song⁽ⁱ⁾ in my mouth,
     a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord ^(j)
     and put their trust^(k) in him.

⁴ Blessed is the one^(l)
     who trusts in the Lord ,^(m)
who does not look to the proud,⁽ⁿ⁾
     to those who turn aside to false gods.^[b]^(o)
⁵ Many, Lord my God,
     are the wonders^(p) you have done,
     the things you planned for us.
None can compare^(q) with you;
     were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
     they would be too many^(r) to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—^(s)
     but my ears you have opened^[c]—^(t)
     burnt offerings^(u) and sin offerings^[d] you did not require.
⁷ Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
     it is written about me in the scroll.^[e]^(v)
⁸ I desire to do your will,^(w) my God;^(x)
     your law is within my heart."^(y)

⁹ I proclaim your saving acts^(z) in the great assembly;^(aa)
     I do not seal my lips, Lord ,
     as you know.^(ab)
¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
     I speak of your faithfulness^(ac) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
     from the great assembly.^(ad)

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy^(ae) from me, Lord ;
     may your love^(af) and faithfulness^(ag) always protect^(ah) me.
¹² For troubles^(ai) without number surround me;
     my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.^(aj)
They are more than the hairs of my head,^(ak)
     and my heart fails^(al) within me.
¹³ Be pleased to save me, Lord ;
     come quickly, Lord , to help me.^(am)

¹⁴ May all who want to take my life^(an)
     be put to shame and confusion;^(ao)
may all who desire my ruin^(ap)
     be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵ May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"^(aq)
     be appalled at their own shame.
¹⁶ But may all who seek you^(ar)
     rejoice and be glad^(as) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
     "The Lord is great!"^(at)

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;^(au)
may the Lord think^(av) of me.
You are my help^(aw) and my deliverer;^(ax)
you are my God, do not delay.^(ay)

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ Blessed^(a) are those who have regard for the weak;^(b)
     the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.^(c)
² The Lord protects^(d) and preserves them—^(e)
     they are counted among the blessed in the land—^(f)
     he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.^(g)
³ The Lord sustains them on their sickbed^(h)
     and restores them from their bed of illness.⁽ⁱ⁾

⁴ I said, "Have mercy^(j) on me, Lord ;
     heal^(k) me, for I have sinned^(l) against you."
⁵ My enemies say of me in malice,
     "When will he die and his name perish?^(m)"
⁶ When one of them comes to see me,
     he speaks falsely,⁽ⁿ⁾ while his heart gathers slander;^(o)
     then he goes out and spreads^(p) it around.

⁷ All my enemies whisper together^(q) against me;
     they imagine the worst for me, saying,
⁸ "A vile disease has afflicted him;
     he will never get up^(r) from the place where he lies."
⁹ Even my close friend,^(s)
     someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
     has turned^[b] against me.^(t)

¹⁰ But may you have mercy^(u) on me, Lord ;
     raise me up,^(v) that I may repay^(w) them.
¹¹ I know that you are pleased with me,^(x)
     for my enemy does not triumph over me.^(y)
¹² Because of my integrity^(z) you uphold me^(aa)
     and set me in your presence forever.^(ab)

¹³ Praise^(ac) be to the Lord , the God of Israel,^(ad)
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.^(ae)

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John 12:27-50

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Chapter 12

²⁷ "Now my soul is troubled,^(af) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(ag) save me from this hour'?^(ah) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came from heaven,^(ai) "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰ Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit,^(aj) not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(ak) now the prince of this world^(al) will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth,^(am) will draw all people to myself."^(an) ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(ao)

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law^(ap) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(aq) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(ar) must be lifted up' ?^(as) Who is this ‘Son of Man'?"

³⁵ Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light^(at) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(au) before darkness overtakes you.^(av) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light."^(aw) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(ax)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(ay) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

"Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"^[h]^(az)

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴⁰ "He has blinded their eyes
     and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
     nor understand with their hearts,
     nor turn—and I would heal them."^[i]^(ba)

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory^(bb) and spoke about him.^(bc)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(bd) But because of the Pharisees^(be) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^(bf) ⁴³ for they loved human praise^(bg) more than praise from God.^(bh)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, "Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^(bi) ⁴⁵ The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^(bj) ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light,^(bk) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ "If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^(bl) ⁴⁸ There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(bm) at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(bn) to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(bo) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."^(bp)