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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
October 2 - Straight Thru the Bible
niv
Micah 4-7
Chapter 4
The Mountain of the Lord(a)
1 In the last days
the mountain(b) of the
Lord
's temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,(c)
and peoples will stream to it.(d)
2 Many nations will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the
Lord
,(e)
to the temple of the God of Jacob.(f)
He will teach us(g) his ways,(h)
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law(i) will go out from Zion,
the word of the
Lord
from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.(j)
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.(k)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war(l) anymore.(m)
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,(n)
and no one will make them afraid,(o)
for the
Lord
Almighty has spoken.(p)
5 All the nations may walk
in the name of their gods,(q)
but we will walk in the name of the
Lord
our God for ever and ever.(r)
The Lord's Plan
6 "In that day," declares the Lord ,
"I will gather the lame;(s)
I will assemble the exiles(t)
and those I have brought to grief.(u)
7 I will make the lame my remnant,(v)
those driven away a strong nation.(w)
The
Lord
will rule over them in Mount Zion(x)
from that day and forever.(y)
8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,
stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(z) to you;
kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(aa)"
9 Why do you now cry aloud—
have you no king[b](ab)?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?(ac)
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;(ad)
there you will be rescued.
There the
Lord
will redeem(ae) you
out of the hand of your enemies.
11 But now many nations
are gathered against you.
They say, "Let her be defiled,
let our eyes gloat(af) over Zion!"
12 But they do not know
the thoughts of the
Lord
;
they do not understand his plan,(ag)
that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 "Rise and thresh,(ah) Daughter Zion,
for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
and you will break to pieces many nations."(ai)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the
Lord
,(aj)
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
Chapter 5
A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
1 [a]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel's ruler
on the cheek(a) with a rod.
2 "But you, Bethlehem(b) Ephrathah,(c)
though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler(d) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(e)
from ancient times."(f)
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned(g)
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock(h)
in the strength of the
Lord
,
in the majesty of the name of the
Lord
his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness(i)
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be our peace(j)
when the Assyrians invade(k) our land
and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
even eight commanders,(l)
6 who will rule[c] the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod(m) with drawn sword.[d](n)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
when they invade our land
and march across our borders.(o)
7 The remnant(p) of Jacob will be
in the midst of many peoples
like dew(q) from the
Lord
,
like showers on the grass,(r)
which do not wait for anyone
or depend on man.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,(s)
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles(t) as it goes,
and no one can rescue.(u)
9 Your hand will be lifted up(v) in triumph over your enemies,
and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 "In that day," declares the Lord ,
"I will destroy your horses from among you
and demolish your chariots.(w)
11 I will destroy the cities(x) of your land
and tear down all your strongholds.(y)
12 I will destroy your witchcraft
and you will no longer cast spells.(z)
13 I will destroy your idols(aa)
and your sacred stones from among you;(ab)
you will no longer bow down
to the work of your hands.(ac)
14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles[e](ad)
when I demolish your cities.
15 I will take vengeance(ae) in anger and wrath
on the nations that have not obeyed me."
Chapter 6
The Lord's Case Against Israel
1 Listen to what the Lord says:
"Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;(a)
let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 "Hear,(b) you mountains, the
Lord
's accusation;(c)
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the
Lord
has a case(d) against his people;
he is lodging a charge(e) against Israel.
3 "My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened(f) you?(g) Answer me.
4 I brought you up out of Egypt(h)
and redeemed you from the land of slavery.(i)
I sent Moses(j) to lead you,
also Aaron(k) and Miriam.(l)
5 My people, remember
what Balak(m) king of Moab plotted
and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim(n) to Gilgal,(o)
that you may know the righteous acts(p) of the
Lord
."
6 With what shall I come before(q) the
Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?(r)
7 Will the
Lord
be pleased with thousands of rams,(s)
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(t)
Shall I offer my firstborn(u) for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(v)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the
Lord
require of you?
To act justly(w) and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a](x) with your God.(y)
Israel's Guilt and Punishment
9 Listen! The
Lord
is calling to the city—
and to fear your name is wisdom—
"Heed the rod(z) and the One who appointed it.[b]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
and the short ephah,[c] which is accursed?(aa)
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,(ab)
with a bag of false weights?(ac)
12 Your rich people are violent;(ad)
your inhabitants are liars(ae)
and their tongues speak deceitfully.(af)
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy(ag) you,
to ruin[d] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;(ah)
your stomach will still be empty.[e]
You will store up but save nothing,(ai)
because what you save[f] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;(aj)
you will press olives but not use the oil,
you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.(ak)
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri(al)
and all the practices of Ahab's(am) house;
you have followed their traditions.(an)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin(ao)
and your people to derision;
you will bear the scorn(ap) of the nations.[g]"
Chapter 7
Israel's Misery
1 What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
none of the early figs(a) that I crave.
2 The faithful have been swept from the land;(b)
not one(c) upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait(d) to shed blood;(e)
they hunt each other(f) with nets.(g)
3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil;(h)
the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,(i)
the powerful dictate what they desire—
they all conspire together.
4 The best of them is like a brier,(j)
the most upright worse than a thorn(k) hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
Now is the time of your confusion.(l)
5 Do not trust a neighbor;
put no confidence in a friend.(m)
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
guard the words of your lips.
6 For a son dishonors his father,
a daughter rises up against her mother,(n)
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man's enemies are the members of his own household.(o)
7 But as for me, I watch(p) in hope(q) for the
Lord
,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear(r) me.
Israel Will Rise
8 Do not gloat over me,(s) my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.(t)
Though I sit in darkness,
the
Lord
will be my light.(u)
9 Because I have sinned against him,
I will bear the
Lord
's wrath,(v)
until he pleads my case(w)
and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;(x)
I will see his righteousness.(y)
10 Then my enemy will see it
and will be covered with shame,(z)
she who said to me,
"Where is the
Lord
your God?"(aa)
My eyes will see her downfall;(ab)
even now she will be trampled(ac) underfoot
like mire in the streets.
11 The day for building your walls(ad) will come,
the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
from Assyria(ae) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
and from sea to sea
and from mountain to mountain.(af)
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
as the result of their deeds.(ag)
Prayer and Praise
14 Shepherd(ah) your people with your staff,(ai)
the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
in fertile pasturelands.[a](aj)
Let them feed in Bashan(ak) and Gilead(al)
as in days long ago.(am)
15 "As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
I will show them my wonders.(an)"
16 Nations will see and be ashamed,(ao)
deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths(ap)
and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust(aq) like a snake,
like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling(ar) out of their dens;
they will turn in fear(as) to the
Lord
our God
and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God(at) like you,
who pardons sin(au) and forgives(av) the transgression
of the remnant(aw) of his inheritance?(ax)
You do not stay angry(ay) forever
but delight to show mercy.(az)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities(ba) into the depths of the sea.(bb)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,(bc)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(bd)
in days long ago.(be)
Nahum 1-2
Chapter 1
1 A prophecy(a) concerning Nineveh.(b) The book of the vision(c) of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The Lord's Anger Against Nineveh
2 The
Lord
is a jealous(d) and avenging God;
the
Lord
takes vengeance(e) and is filled with wrath.
The
Lord
takes vengeance on his foes
and vents his wrath against his enemies.(f)
3 The
Lord
is slow to anger(g) but great in power;
the
Lord
will not leave the guilty unpunished.(h)
His way is in the whirlwind(i) and the storm,(j)
and clouds(k) are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes(l) the sea and dries it up;(m)
he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel(n) wither
and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
5 The mountains quake(o) before him
and the hills melt away.(p)
The earth trembles(q) at his presence,
the world and all who live in it.(r)
6 Who can withstand(s) his indignation?
Who can endure(t) his fierce anger?(u)
His wrath is poured out like fire;(v)
the rocks are shattered(w) before him.
7 The
Lord
is good,(x)
a refuge in times of trouble.(y)
He cares for(z) those who trust in him,(aa)
8
but with an overwhelming flood(ab)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.
9 Whatever they plot(ac) against the
Lord
he will bring[a] to an end;
trouble will not come a second time.
10 They will be entangled among thorns(ad)
and drunk(ae) from their wine;
they will be consumed like dry stubble.[b](af)
11 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
who plots evil against the
Lord
and devises wicked plans.
12 This is what the Lord says:
"Although they have allies and are numerous,
they will be destroyed(ag) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
I will afflict you no more.(ah)
13 Now I will break their yoke(ai) from your neck
and tear your shackles away."(aj)
14 The
Lord
has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
"You will have no descendants to bear your name.(ak)
I will destroy the images(al) and idols
that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,(am)
for you are vile."
15 Look, there on the mountains,
the feet of one who brings good news,(an)
who proclaims peace!(ao)
Celebrate your festivals,(ap) Judah,
and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;(aq)
they will be completely destroyed.[c]
Chapter 2
Nineveh to Fall
1 [a]An attacker(a) advances against you, Nineveh.
Guard the fortress,
watch the road,
brace yourselves,
marshal all your strength!
2 The
Lord
will restore(b) the splendor(c) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.
3 The shields of the soldiers are red;
the warriors are clad in scarlet.(d)
The metal on the chariots flashes
on the day they are made ready;
the spears of juniper are brandished.[b]
4 The chariots(e) storm through the streets,
rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
they dart about like lightning.
5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,
yet they stumble(f) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
6 The river gates(g) are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
7 It is decreed[c] that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(h) like doves
and beat on their breasts.(i)
8 Nineveh is like a pool
whose water is draining away.
"Stop! Stop!" they cry,
but no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
Hearts melt,(j) knees give way,
bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(k)
11 Where now is the lions' den,(l)
the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
12 The lion killed(m) enough for his cubs
and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs(n) with the kill
and his dens with the prey.(o)
13 "I am against(p) you,"
declares the
Lord
Almighty.
"I will burn up your chariots in smoke,(q)
and the sword(r) will devour your young lions.
I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
will no longer be heard."(s)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
