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Daily Readings for May 1
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Deuteronomy 18
1.The priests the Levites, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and his inheritance. 2.They shall have no inheritance among their brothers: Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. 3.This shall be the priests' due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4.The first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5.For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, him and his sons for ever. 6.If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose; 7.then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh. 8.They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which comes of the sale of his patrimony. 9.When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10.There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11.or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12.For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh: and because of these abominations Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you. 13.You shall be perfect with Yahweh your God. 14.For these nations, that you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice sorcery, and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do. 15.Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 16.This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, "Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die."
17.Yahweh said to me, "They have well said that which they have spoken. 18.I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19.It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20.But the prophet, who shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die."
21.If you say in your heart, "How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?" 22.when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn't follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.
Ecclesiastes 10
1.Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. 2.A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left. 3.Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. 4.If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don't leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
5.There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler. 6.Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7.I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth. 8.He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9.Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered thereby. 10.If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11.If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer's tongue. 12.The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. 13.The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14.A fool also multiplies words.
Man doesn't know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him? 15.The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn't know how to go to the city. 16.Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning! 17.Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18.By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks. 19.A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things. 20.Don't curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don't curse the rich in your bedroom: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
Acts 9
1.But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2.and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3.As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. 4.He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5.He said, "Who are you, Lord?"
The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.31 6.But32 rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7.The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. 8.Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9.He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10.Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
He said, "Behold, it's me, Lord."
11.The Lord said to him, "Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah33 for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, 12.and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight."
13.But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. 14.Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name."
15.But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 16.For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake."
17.Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18.Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. 19.He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20.Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 21.All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!"
22.But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 23.When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 24.but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 25.but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 26.When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27.But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28.He was with them entering into34 Jerusalem, 29.preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.35 He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,36 but they were seeking to kill him. 30.When the brothers37 knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 31.So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32.It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33.There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. 34.Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" Immediately he arose. 35.All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36.Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas.38 This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. 37.It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38.As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men39 to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39.Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40.Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41.He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42.And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43.It happened, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.