Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 15

The Year for Canceling Debts^(a)

¹ At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.^{(b) 2} This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord 's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. ³ You may require payment from a foreigner,^(c) but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. ⁴ However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless^(d) you, ⁵ if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow^(e) all these commands I am giving you today. ⁶ For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.^(f)

⁷ If anyone is poor^(g) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted^(h) toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded⁽ⁱ⁾ and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,^(j) is near," so that you do not show ill will^(k) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.^{(l) 10} Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;^(m) then because of this the Lord your God will bless⁽ⁿ⁾ you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people^(o) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.^(p)

Freeing Servants^(q)(r)

¹² If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.^{(s) 13} And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. ¹⁴ Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor^(t) and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves^(u) in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.^(v) That is why I give you this command today.

¹⁶ But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, ¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

The Firstborn Animals

¹⁹ Set apart for the Lord ^(w) your God every firstborn male^(x) of your herds and flocks.^(y) Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.^{(z) 20} Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.^{(aa) 21} If an animal has a defect,^(ab) is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.^{(ac) 22} You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.^{(ad) 23} But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.^(ae)

Chapter 2

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!^{(p) 16} No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² "Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(x) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(y) which God did among you through him,^(z) as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(aa) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{(ab) 24} But God raised him from the dead,^(ac) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{(ad) 25} David said about him:

²⁹ "Fellow Israelites,^(ag) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(ah) David died and was buried,^(ai) and his tomb is here^(aj) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(ak) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(al) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(am) and we are all witnesses^(an) of it. ³³ Exalted^(ao) to the right hand of God,^(ap) he has received from the Father^(aq) the promised Holy Spirit^(ar) and has poured out^(as) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(au) and Messiah."^(av)

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"^(aw)

³⁸ Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized,^(ax) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(ay) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(az) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(ba) and for all who are far off^(bb)—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."^{(bc) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(bd) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching^(be) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(bf) and to prayer.^{(bg) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(bh) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(bi) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(bj) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(bk) They broke bread^(bl) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(bm) And the Lord added to their number^(bn) daily those who were being saved.