Genesis 13

• 1. So they left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev--Abram with his wife and Lot and all that they owned,
• 2. for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.
• 3. Then they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where they had camped before.
• 4. This was the place where Abram had built the altar, and there he again worshiped the LORD.
• 5. Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, was also very wealthy with sheep, cattle, and many tents.
• 6. But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. There were too many animals for the available pastureland.
• 7. So an argument broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.
• 8. Then Abram talked it over with Lot. "This arguing between our herdsmen has got to stop," he said. "After all, we are close relatives!
• 9. I'll tell you what we'll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that area over there, then I'll stay here. If you want to stay in this area, then I'll move on to another place."
• 10. Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
• 11. Lot chose that land for himself--the Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.
• 12. So while Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom, among the cities of the plain.
• 13. The people of this area were unusually wicked and sinned greatly against the LORD.
• 14. After Lot was gone, the LORD said to Abram, "Look as far as you can see in every direction.
• 15. I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession.
• 16. And I am going to give you so many descendants that, like dust, they cannot be counted!
• 17. Take a walk in every direction and explore the new possessions I am giving you."
• 18. Then Abram moved his camp to the oak grove owned by Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.

Matthew 12

• 1. At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off heads of wheat and eating the grain.
• 2. Some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, "Your disciples shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath."
• 3. But Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry?
• 4. He went into the house of God, and they ate the special bread reserved for the priests alone. That was breaking the law, too.
• 5. And haven't you ever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?
• 6. I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!
• 7. But you would not have condemned those who aren't guilty if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.'
• 8. For I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath."
• 9. Then he went over to the synagogue,
• 10. where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?" (They were, of course, hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
• 11. And he answered, "If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would.
• 12. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
• 13. Then he said to the man, "Reach out your hand." The man reached out his hand, and it became normal, just like the other one.
• 14. Then the Pharisees called a meeting and discussed plans for killing Jesus.
• 15. But Jesus knew what they were planning. He left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them,
• 16. but he warned them not to say who he was.
• 17. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
• 18. "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, and I am very pleased with him. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
• 19. He will not fight or shout; he will not raise his voice in public.
• 20. He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final victory.
• 21. And his name will be the hope of all the world."
• 22. Then a demon-possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.
• 23. The crowd was amazed. "Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?" they wondered out loud.
• 24. But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons."
• 25. Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A city or home divided against itself is doomed.
• 26. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.
• 27. And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said.
• 28. But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.
• 29. Let me illustrate this. You can't enter a strong man's house and rob him without first tying him up. Only then can his house be robbed!
• 30. Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
• 31. "Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven--except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which can never be forgiven.
• 32. Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
• 33. "A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.
• 34. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
• 35. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.
• 36. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak.
• 37. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
• 38. One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove that you are from God."
• 39. But Jesus replied, "Only an evil, faithless generation would ask for a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.
• 40. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
• 41. The people of Nineveh will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here--and you refuse to repent.
• 42. The queen of Sheba will also rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here--and you refuse to listen to him.
• 43. "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.
• 44. Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean.
• 45. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation."
• 46. As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him.
• 47. Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you."
• 48. Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
• 49. Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers.
• 50. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

Nehemiah 2

• 1. Early the following spring, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never appeared sad in his presence before this time.
• 2. So the king asked me, "Why are you so sad? You aren't sick, are you? You look like a man with deep troubles." Then I was badly frightened,
• 3. but I replied, "Long live the king! Why shouldn't I be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been burned down."
• 4. The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of heaven,
• 5. I replied, "If it please Your Majesty and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried."
• 6. The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, "How long will you be gone? When will you return?" So the king agreed, and I set a date for my departure.
• 7. I also said to the king, "If it please Your Majesty, give me letters to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.
• 8. And please send a letter to Asaph, the manager of the king's forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself." And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.
• 9. When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
• 10. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very angry that someone had come who was interested in helping Israel.
• 11. Three days after my arrival at Jerusalem,
• 12. I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us, except the donkey that I myself was riding.
• 13. I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal's Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.
• 14. Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but my donkey couldn't get through the rubble.
• 15. So I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.
• 16. The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the religious and political leaders, the officials, or anyone else in the administration.
• 17. But now I said to them, "You know full well the tragedy of our city. It lies in ruins, and its gates are burned. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and rid ourselves of this disgrace!"
• 18. Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, "Good! Let's rebuild the wall!" So they began the good work.
• 19. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. "What are you doing, rebelling against the king like this?" they asked.
• 20. But I replied, "The God of heaven will help us succeed. We his servants will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no stake or claim in Jerusalem."

New Living Translation: 12 of 365 days.