back up program: Old and New Testament Reading Plan: NIV- June 28, 2021

Bible Gateway

Click to view this email in your browser.

View today's reading at Bible Gateway

Job 11-13

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

²"Are all these words to go unanswered?
    Is this talker to be vindicated?
³Will your idle talk reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?
⁴You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless
    and I am pure in your sight.'
⁵Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
    that he would open his lips against you
⁶and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

⁷"Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
⁹Their measure is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

¹⁰"If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?
¹¹Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?
¹²But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey's colt can be born human.

¹³"Yet if you devote your heart to him
    and stretch out your hands to him,
¹⁴if you put away the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
¹⁵then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
    you will stand firm and without fear.
¹⁶You will surely forget your trouble,
    recalling it only as waters gone by.
¹⁷Life will be brighter than noonday,
    and darkness will become like morning.
¹⁸You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
¹⁹You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
    and many will court your favor.
²⁰But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
    and escape will elude them;
    their hope will become a dying gasp."

Job

12 Then Job replied:

²"Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!
³But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?

⁴"I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
    though I called on God and he answered—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
⁵Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune
    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
⁶The tents of marauders are undisturbed,
    and those who provoke God are secure—
    those God has in his hand.

⁷"But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
⁸or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰In his hand is the life of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.
¹¹Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?
¹²Is not wisdom found among the aged?
    Does not long life bring understanding?

¹³"To God belong wisdom and power;
    counsel and understanding are his.
¹⁴What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
    those he imprisons cannot be released.
¹⁵If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
¹⁶To him belong strength and insight;
    both deceived and deceiver are his.
¹⁷He leads rulers away stripped
    and makes fools of judges.
¹⁸He takes off the shackles put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth around their waist.
¹⁹He leads priests away stripped
    and overthrows officials long established.
²⁰He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.
²¹He pours contempt on nobles
    and disarms the mighty.
²²He reveals the deep things of darkness
    and brings utter darkness into the light.
²³He makes nations great, and destroys them;
    he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
²⁴He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;
    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.
²⁵They grope in darkness with no light;
    he makes them stagger like drunkards.

13 "My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
²What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
³But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
⁴You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
⁵If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom.
⁶Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.
⁷Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?
⁸Will you show him partiality?
    Will you argue the case for God?
⁹Would it turn out well if he examined you?
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?
¹⁰He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.
¹¹Would not his splendor terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?
¹²Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³"Keep silent and let me speak;
    then let come to me what may.
¹⁴Why do I put myself in jeopardy
    and take my life in my hands?
¹⁵Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely defend my ways to his face.
¹⁶Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!
¹⁷Listen carefully to what I say;
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸Now that I have prepared my case,
    I know I will be vindicated.
¹⁹Can anyone bring charges against me?
    If so, I will be silent and die.

²⁰"Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
²¹Withdraw your hand far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.
²²Then summon me and I will answer,
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.
²³How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
    Show me my offense and my sin.
²⁴Why do you hide your face
    and consider me your enemy?
²⁵Will you torment a windblown leaf?
    Will you chase after dry chaff?
²⁶For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.
²⁷You fasten my feet in shackles;
    you keep close watch on all my paths
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

²⁸"So man wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment eaten by moths.

New International Version (NIV)

Acts 9:1-21

Saul's Conversion

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

⁵"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. ⁶"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes, Lord," he answered.

¹¹The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

¹³"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

¹⁷Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"

New International Version (NIV)

Bible Gateway Recommendations

Buy Now

The Story Bible, NIV

Did you find this devotional helpful and inspiring? Read the book for more!

Copyright Information

These Scriptures are copyrighted by Biblica, Inc.™ and have been made available on the Internet for your personal use only. Any other use including, but not limited to, copying or reposting on the Internet is prohibited. These Scriptures may not be altered or modified in any form and must remain in their original context. These Scriptures may not be sold or otherwise offered for sale.

Subscription Information

This email was sent to mucomacamucomaca.muco@blogger.com by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. If you have questions or comments about this email, please contact us.

Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions — Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication

back up program

Monday, June 28, 2021

Old and New Testament Reading Plan: NIV- June 28, 2021