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Daily Readings for January 2
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Genesis 3
1.Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
2.The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, 3.but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
4.The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die, 5.for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6.When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. 7.The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8.They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.
9.Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
10.The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11.God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12.The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
13.Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14.Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15.I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel."
16.To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
17.To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18.It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. 19.By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
20.The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21.Yahweh God made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.
22.Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..." 23.Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24.So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
Genesis 4
1.The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man with Yahweh's help." 2.Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3.As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. 4.Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, 5.but he didn't respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell. 6.Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? 7.If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don't do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it." 8.Cain said to Abel, his brother, "Let's go into the field." It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
9.Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?"
He said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
10.Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground. 11.Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12.From now on, when you till the ground, it won't yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth."
13.Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14.Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me."
15.Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.
16.Cain went out from Yahweh's presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17.Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 18.To Enoch was born Irad. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19.Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20.Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21.His brother's name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. 22.Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain's sister was Naamah. 23.Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. 24.If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times."
25.Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, "for God has appointed me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him." 26.There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh's name.
Psalm 3
1.Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me. 2.Many there are who say of my soul, "There is no help for him in God5." Selah. 3.But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. 4.I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5.I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me. 6.I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. 7.Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked. 8.Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.
Psalm 4
1.Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. 2.You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah. 3.But know that Yahweh has set apart for himself him who is godly: Yahweh will hear when I call to him. 4.Stand in awe, and don't sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah. 5.Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Put your trust in Yahweh. 6.Many say, "Who will show us any good?" Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us. 7.You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased. 8.In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety.
Psalm 5
1.Give ear to my words, Yahweh. Consider my meditation. 2.Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God; for to you do I pray. 3.Yahweh, in the morning you shall hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly. 4.For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness. Evil can't live with you. 5.The arrogant shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. 6.You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7.But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house. I will bow toward your holy temple in reverence of you. 8.Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face. 9.For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue. 10.Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you. 11.But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice, Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you. 12.For you will bless the righteous. Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.
Matthew 3
1.In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2."Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" 3.For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight."8
4.Now John himself wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5.Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 6.They were baptized9 by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7.But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism,10 he said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8.Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance! 9.Don't think to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10."Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 11.I indeed baptize11 you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.12 12.His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."
13.Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14.But John would have hindered him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
15.But Jesus, answering, said to him, "Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. 16.Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17.Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 4
1.Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2.When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3.The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
4.But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"13
5.Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6.and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you.' and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'"14
7.Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.'"15
8.Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 9.He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me."
10.Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me,16 Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'"17
11.Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him. 12.Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 13.Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14.that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15."The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16.the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned."18
17.From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."
18.Walking by the sea of Galilee, he19 saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19.He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men."
20.They immediately left their nets and followed him. 21.Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22.They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23.Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24.The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 25.Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.