Daily Readings for November 20

Daily Readings for November 20
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Nehemiah 8

1.All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. 2.Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3.He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4.Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5.Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6.and Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground. 7.Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stayed in their place. 8.They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. 9.Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Don't mourn, nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10.Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Don't be grieved; for the joy of Yahweh is your strength."

11.So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be grieved."

12.All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13.On the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. 14.They found written in the law, how that Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 15.and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written."

16.So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. 17.All the assembly of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18.Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

Joel 3

1."For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2.I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have divided my land, 3.and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.

4."Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head. 5.Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my finest treasures into your temples, 6.and have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border. 7.Behold, I will stir them up out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your repayment on your own head; 8.and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the men of Sheba, to a faraway nation, for Yahweh has spoken it."

9.Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up. 10.Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' 11.Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together." Cause your mighty ones to come down there, Yahweh. 12."Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13.Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great." 14.Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Yahweh is near, in the valley of decision. 15.The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 16.Yahweh will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but Yahweh will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel. 17."So you will know that I am Yahweh, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more. 18.It will happen in that day, that the mountains will drop down sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with waters, and a fountain will come forth from the house of Yahweh, and will water the valley of Shittim. 19.Egypt will be a desolation, and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20.But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21.I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Yahweh dwells in Zion."

2Thessalonians 3

1.Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you; 2.and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. 3.But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one. 4.We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. 5.May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

6.Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us. 7.For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn't behave ourselves rebelliously among you, 8.neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you; 9.not because we don't have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. 10.For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat." 11.For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don't work at all, but are busybodies. 12.Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

13.But you, brothers, don't be weary in doing well. 14.If any man doesn't obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15.Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16.Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

17.The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write. 18.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.