Daily Readings for November 9
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Ezra 3

 

1.When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2.Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. 3.They set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4.They kept the feast of tents, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5.and afterward the continual burnt offering, and the offerings of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to Yahweh. 6.From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh: but the foundation of the temple of Yahweh was not yet laid. 7.They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, to them of Sidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. 8.Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of Yahweh. 9.Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites. 10.When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, after the order of David king of Israel. 11.They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, "For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel." All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid. 12.But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13.so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

 

Ezra 4

 

1.Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel; 2.then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' households, and said to them, "Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here."

3.But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' households of Israel, said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

4.Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5.and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6.In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7.In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian, and set forth in the Syrian language. 8.Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: 9.then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, 10.and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote. 11.This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth. 12.Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations. 13.Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. 14.Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king; 15.that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste. 16.We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River. 17.Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth. 18.The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19.I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. 20.There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them. 21.Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me. 22.Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 23.Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 24.Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

 

Hosea 6

 

1."Come, and let us return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds. 2.After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him. 3.Let us acknowledge Yahweh. Let us press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth."

4."Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early. 5.Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning. 6.For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7.But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me, there. 8.Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood. 9.As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes. 10.In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

11."Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.

 

Acts 23

 

1.Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."

2.The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3.Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"

4.Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

5.Paul said, "I didn't know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"⁷³ 6.But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"

7.When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8.For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. 9.A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let's not fight against God!"

10.When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

11.The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."

12.When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13.There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy. 14.They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15.Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."

16.But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. 17.Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."

18.So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."

19.The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

20.He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 21.Therefore don't yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."

22.So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." 23.He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night⁷⁴." 24.He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25.He wrote a letter like this:

26."Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

27."This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28.Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council. 29.I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. 30.When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell."

31.So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32.But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks. 33.When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34.When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, 35."I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.

 

Acts 24

 

1.After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul. 2.When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this nation, 3.we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4.But, that I don't delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. 5.For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6.He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.⁷⁵ 7.⁷⁶ 8.⁷⁷By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."

9.The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so. 10.When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, "Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 11.seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12.In the temple they didn't find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city. 13.Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. 14.But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 15.having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16.Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 17.Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 18.amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 19.They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me. 20.Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, 21.unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'"

22.But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case." 23.He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him. 24.But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 25.As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you." 26.Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. 27.But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

 

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