Exodus 5

• 1. Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'"
• 2. Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."
• 3. Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword."
• 4. But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!"
• 5. Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."
• 6. That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people:
• 7. "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.
• 8. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
• 9. Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."
• 10. Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw.
• 11. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'"
• 12. So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.
• 13. The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw."
• 14. The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"
• 15. Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way?
• 16. Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."
• 17. Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are-lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'
• 18. Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."
• 19. The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day."
• 20. When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,
• 21. and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
• 22. Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me?
• 23. Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

Luke 10

• 1. After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
• 2. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
• 3. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
• 4. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
• 5. "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.'
• 6. If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.
• 7. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
• 8. "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.
• 9. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
• 10. But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,
• 11. 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'
• 12. I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
• 13. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
• 14. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
• 15. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
• 16. "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
• 17. The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
• 18. He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
• 19. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
• 20. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
• 21. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
• 22. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
• 23. Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
• 24. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
• 25. On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
• 26. "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
• 27. He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
• 28. "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
• 29. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
• 30. In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
• 31. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
• 32. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
• 33. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
• 34. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
• 35. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
• 36. "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
• 37. The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
• 38. As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
• 39. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.
• 40. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
• 41. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
• 42. but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Job 23

• 1. Then Job replied:
• 2. "Even today my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.
• 3. If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!
• 4. I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.
• 5. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say.
• 6. Would he oppose me with great power? No, he would not press charges against me.
• 7. There an upright man could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.
• 8. "But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.
• 9. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
• 10. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
• 11. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.
• 12. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
• 13. "But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases.
• 14. He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store.
• 15. That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him.
• 16. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.
• 17. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

New International Version

49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | Day 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 |