Daily Readings for July 21
Click the arrow above to the left of the audio strip to start audio for today

 

2Samuel 6

 

1.David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2.David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim. 3.They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4.They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5.David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals. 6.When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. 7.The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8.David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day. 9.David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, "How shall the ark of Yahweh come to me?" 10.So David would not move the ark of Yahweh to be with him in the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11.The ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house. 12.It was told king David, saying, "Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God."

David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy. 13.It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14.David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. 15.So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16.It was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart. 17.They brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 18.When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies. 19.He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house. 20.Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

21.David said to Michal, "It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate before Yahweh. 22.I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me." 23.Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

 

Jeremiah 11

 

1.The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2.Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3.and say to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who doesn't hear the words of this covenant, 4.which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so you shall be my people, and I will be your God; 5.that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, Yahweh. 6.Yahweh said to me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear the words of this covenant, and do them. 7.For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 8.Yet they didn't obey, nor turn their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn't do them. 9.Yahweh said to me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10.They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. 11.Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them. 12.Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13.For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal. 14.Therefore don't pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble. 15.What has my beloved to do in my house, since she has worked lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from you? when you do evil, then you rejoice. 16.Yahweh called your name, A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken. 17.For Yahweh of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have worked for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal. 18.Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then you showed me their doings. 19.But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I didn't know that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. 20.But, Yahweh of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I shall see your vengeance on them; for to you have I revealed my cause. 21.Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, You shall not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, that you not die by our hand; 22.therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; 23.and there shall be no remnant to them: for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

 

Matthew 22

 

1.Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying, 2."The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3.and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come. 4.Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"' 5.But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise, 6.and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7.When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

8."Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy. 9.Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.' 10.Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests. 11.But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing, 12.and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless. 13.Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.' 14.For many are called, but few chosen."

15.Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk. 16.They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren't partial to anyone. 17.Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

18.But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19.Show me the tax money."

They brought to him a denarius.

20.He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"

21.They said to him, "Caesar's."

Then he said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

22.When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.

23.On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him, 24.saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.' 25.Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no seed left his wife to his brother. 26.In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh. 27.After them all, the woman died. 28.In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her."

29.But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 30.For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God's angels in heaven. 31.But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, 32.'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?'[103] God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

33.When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. 34.But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. 35.One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 36."Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

37.Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'[104] 38.This is the first and great commandment. 39.A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'[105] 40.The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

41.Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42.saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?"

They said to him, "Of David."

43.He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, 44.'The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?'[106]

45."If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"

46.No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forth.

 

   (Daily Readings for July 21)  Look up a passage