the Sixth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 21 - Bible-in-a-Year
niv
Ezekiel 31-32
Chapter 31
Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon
1 In the eleventh year,(a) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(b) 2 "Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
"‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
3 Consider Assyria,(c) once a cedar in Lebanon,(d)
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage.(e)
4 The waters(f) nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field.(g)
5 So it towered higher(h)
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters.(i)
6 All the birds of the sky
nested in its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth(j) under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in its shade.(k)
7 It was majestic in beauty,
with its spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant waters.(l)
8 The cedars(m) in the garden of God
could not rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its boughs,
nor could the plane trees(n)
compare with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty.(o)
9 I made it beautiful
with abundant branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden(p)
in the garden of God.(q)
10 "‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud(r) of its height, 11 I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,(s) 12 and the most ruthless of foreign nations(t) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;(u) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.(v) 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.(w) 14 Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined(x) for death,(y) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.(z)
15 "‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.(aa) 16 I made the nations tremble(ab) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees(ac) of Eden,(ad) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled(ae) in the earth below.(af) 17 They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,(ag) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.
18 "‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,(ah) with those killed by the sword.
"‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord .'"
Chapter 32
A Lament Over Pharaoh
1 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(a) 2 "Son of man, take up a lament(b) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:
"‘You are like a lion(c) among the nations;
you are like a monster(d) in the seas(e)
thrashing about in your streams,
churning the water with your feet
and muddying the streams.(f)
3 "‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"‘With a great throng of people
I will cast my net over you,
and they will haul you up in my net.(g)
4 I will throw you on the land
and hurl you on the open field.
I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you
and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.(h)
5 I will spread your flesh on the mountains
and fill the valleys(i) with your remains.
6 I will drench the land with your flowing blood(j)
all the way to the mountains,
and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.(k)
7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
and darken their stars;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not give its light.(l)
8 All the shining lights in the heavens
I will darken(m) over you;
I will bring darkness over your land,(n)
declares the Sovereign
Lord
.
9 I will trouble the hearts of many peoples
when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among[a] lands you have not known.
10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
and their kings will shudder with horror because of you
when I brandish my sword(o) before them.
On the day(p) of your downfall
each of them will tremble
every moment for his life.(q)
11 "‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"‘The sword(r) of the king of Babylon(s)
will come against you.(t)
12 I will cause your hordes to fall
by the swords of mighty men—
the most ruthless of all nations.(u)
They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
and all her hordes will be overthrown.(v)
13 I will destroy all her cattle
from beside abundant waters
no longer to be stirred by the foot of man
or muddied by the hooves of cattle.(w)
14 Then I will let her waters settle
and make her streams flow like oil,
declares the Sovereign
Lord
.
15 When I make Egypt desolate
and strip the land of everything in it,
when I strike down all who live there,
then they will know that I am the
Lord
.(x)'
16 "This is the lament(y) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord ."
Egypt's Descent Into the Realm of the Dead
17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(z) 18 "Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign(aa) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.(ab) 19 Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.'(ac) 20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged(ad) off with all her hordes.(ae) 21 From within the realm of the dead(af) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,(ag) with those killed by the sword.'
22 "Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit(ah) and her army lies around her grave.(ai) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.
24 "Elam(aj) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.(ak) All who had spread terror in the land of the living(al) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(am) 25 A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,(an) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.
26 "Meshek and Tubal(ao) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,[b](ap) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields[c] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.
28 "You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.
29 "Edom(aq) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.(ar)
30 "All the princes of the north(as) and all the Sidonians(at) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised(au) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(av)
31 "Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled(aw) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord . 32 Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh(ax) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord ."(ay)
Isaiah 56
Chapter 56
Salvation for Others
1 This is what the Lord says:
"Maintain justice(a)
and do what is right,(b)
for my salvation(c) is close at hand
and my righteousness(d) will soon be revealed.
2 Blessed(e) is the one who does this—
the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(f) without desecrating it,
and keeps their hands from doing any evil."
3 Let no foreigner(g) who is bound to the
Lord
say,
"The
Lord
will surely exclude me from his people."(h)
And let no eunuch(i) complain,
"I am only a dry tree."
4 For this is what the Lord says:
"To the eunuchs(j) who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant(k)—
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls(l)
a memorial(m) and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(n)
that will endure forever.(o)
6 And foreigners(p) who bind themselves to the
Lord
to minister(q) to him,
to love the name(r) of the
Lord
,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(s) without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain(t)
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(u)
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.(v)"(w)
8 The Sovereign
Lord
declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
"I will gather(x) still others to them
besides those already gathered."
God's Accusation Against the Wicked
9 Come, all you beasts of the field,(y)
come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel's watchmen(z) are blind,
they all lack knowledge;(aa)
they are all mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
they love to sleep.(ab)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
they never have enough.
They are shepherds(ac) who lack understanding;(ad)
they all turn to their own way,(ae)
they seek their own gain.(af)
12 "Come," each one cries, "let me get wine!(ag)
Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
or even far better."(ah)
Colossians 3:18-4:18
Chapter 3
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands,(ar) as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers,[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance(as) from the Lord as a reward.(at) It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.(au)
Chapter 4
1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,(a) because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Further Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer,(b) being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door(c) for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery(d) of Christ, for which I am in chains.(e) 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise(f) in the way you act toward outsiders;(g) make the most of every opportunity.(h) 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace,(i) seasoned with salt,(j) so that you may know how to answer everyone.(k)
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus(l) will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a](m) in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.(n) 9 He is coming with Onesimus,(o) our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.(p) They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus(q) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,(r) the cousin of Barnabas.(s) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews[c] among my co-workers(t) for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(u) who is one of you(v) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(w) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(x) and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea(y) and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke,(z) the doctor, and Demas(aa) send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea,(ab) and to Nympha and the church in her house.(ac)
16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read(ad) in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus:(ae) "See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord."(af)
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.(ag) Remember(ah) my chains.(ai) Grace be with you.(aj)
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