Daily Readings for March 20
Click the arrow above to the left of the audio strip to start audio for today

 

Numbers 1

 

1.Yahweh¹ spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2."Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one; 3.from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions. 4.With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers' house. 5.These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6.Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7.Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 8.Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar. 9.Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon. 10.Of the children of Joseph: Of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud. Of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11.Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12.Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 13.Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran. 14.Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 15.Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan."

16.These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel. 17.Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name. 18.They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one. 19.As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20.The children of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 21.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22.Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, those who were numbered of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 23.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24.Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 25.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

26.Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 27.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were sixty-four thousand six hundred.

28.Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 29.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30.Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 31.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 32.Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 33.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.

34.Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 35.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36.Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war; 37.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38.Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war; 39.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40.Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war; 41.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42.Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war; 43.those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44.These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: they were each one for his fathers' house. 45.So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel; 46.even all those who were numbered were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 47.But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48.For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 49."Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel; 50.but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle, and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it. 51.When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 52.The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions. 53.But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony."

54.Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did.

 

Psalm 143

 

1.Hear my prayer, Yahweh. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me. 2.Don't enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous. 3.For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead. 4.Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. 5.I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands. 6.I spread forth my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah. 7.Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don't hide your face from me, so that I don't become like those who go down into the pit. 8.Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. 9.Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me. 10.Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11.Revive me, Yahweh, for your name's sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. 12.In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, For I am your servant.

 

Psalm 144

 

1.Blessed be Yahweh, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle: 2.my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge; who subdues my people under me. 3.Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him? 4.Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away. 5.Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke. 6.Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them. 7.Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners; 8.whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9.I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you. 10.You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword. 11.Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12.Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace. 13.Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields. 14.Our oxen will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets. 15.Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

 

Luke 11

 

1.It happened, that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."

2.He said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 3.Give us day by day our daily bread. 4.Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"

5.He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6.for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,' 7.and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'? 8.I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

9."I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10.For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

11."Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12.Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he? 13.If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

14.He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. It happened, when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled. 15.But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons." 16.Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17.But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls. 18.If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19.But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges. 20.But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.

21."When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. 22.But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

23."He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn't gather with me scatters. 24.The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, 'I will turn back to my house from which I came out.' 25.When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order. 26.Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first."

27.It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!"

28.But he said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it."

29.When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet. 30.For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation. 31.The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 32.The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

33."No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34.The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness. 35.Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn't darkness. 36.If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light."

37.Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table. 38.When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. 39.The Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 40.You foolish ones, didn't he who made the outside make the inside also? 41.But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you. 42.But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 43.Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don't know it."

45.One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also."

46.He said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won't even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. 47.Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48.So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49.Therefore also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute, 50.that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51.from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52.Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn't enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered."

53.As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him; 54.lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

 

   (Daily Readings for March 20)  Look up a passage