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Daily Readings for April 6
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Numbers 22
1.The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2.Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3.Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4.Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field."
Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5.He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, "Behold, there is a people who came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me. 6.Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."
7.The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8.He said to them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me." The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9.God came to Balaam, and said, "Who are these men with you?" 10.Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me, 11.'Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt, it covers the surface of the earth: now, come curse me them; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'"
12.God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed."
13.Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you."
14.The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
15.Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. 16.They came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, 'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me: 17.for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.'"
18.Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. 19.Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will speak to me more."
20.God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do."
21.Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22.God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23.The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way. 24.Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25.The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he struck her again.
26.The angel of Yahweh went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27.The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28.Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
29.Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you."
30.The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?"
He said, "No."
31.Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. 32.The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come forth as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me: 33.and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive."
34.Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again."
35.The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak."
So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36.When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. 37.Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn't you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?"
38.Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak."
39.Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth. 40.Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 41.It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.
Numbers 23
1.Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."
2.Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram. 3.Balaam said to Balak, "Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you."
He went to a bare height. 4.God met Balaam: and he said to him, "I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar."
5.Yahweh put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
6.He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7.He took up his parable, and said, "From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel. 8.How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied? 9.For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10.Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!"
11.Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether."
12.He answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
13.Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, where you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there."
14.He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar. 15.He said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet over there."
16.Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and say this."
17.He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, "What has Yahweh spoken?"
18.He took up his parable, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor. 19.God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good? 20.Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can't reverse it. 21.He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. Yahweh his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them. 22.God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. 23.Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God done! 24.Behold, the people rises up as a lioness, As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain."
25.Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all."
26.But Balaam answered Balak, "Didn't I tell you, saying, 'All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do?'"
27.Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse me them from there."
28.Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. 29.Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."
30.Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
Proverbs 16
1.The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh. 2.All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives. 3.Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed. 4.Yahweh has made everything for its own end-- yes, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5.Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: they shall certainly not be unpunished. 6.By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil. 7.When a man's ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8.Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice. 9.A man's heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps. 10.Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth. 11.Honest balances and scales are Yahweh's; all the weights in the bag are his work. 12.It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness. 13.Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth. 14.The king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it. 15.In the light of the king's face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain. 16.How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. 17.The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul. 18.Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19.It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud. 20.He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed. 21.The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. 22.Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. 23.The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. 24.Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25.There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. 26.The appetite of the laboring man labors for him; for his mouth urges him on. 27.A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire. 28.A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends. 29.A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good. 30.One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil. 31.Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness. 32.One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city. 33.The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.
Ephesians 3
1.For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, 2.if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you; 3.how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, 4.by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; 5.which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6.that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, 7.of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. 8.To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9.and to make all men see what is the administration2 of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10.to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, 11.according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; 12.in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. 13.Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
14.For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15.from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16.that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17.that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18.may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19.and to know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20.Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21.to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4
1.I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2.with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; 3.being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4.There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; 5.one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6.one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. 7.But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8.Therefore he says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."3 9.Now this, "He ascended," what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10.He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11.He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds4 and teachers; 12.for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13.until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14.that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15.but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; 16.from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.
17.This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18.being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; 19.who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20.But you did not learn Christ that way; 21.if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22.that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23.and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24.and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25.Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. 26."Be angry, and don't sin."5 Don't let the sun go down on your wrath, 27.neither give place to the devil. 28.Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29.Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30.Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31.Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. 32.And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.