Genesis 18

• 1. The LORD appeared again to Abraham while he was camped near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day about noon, as Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent,
• 2. he suddenly noticed three men standing nearby. He got up and ran to meet them, welcoming them by bowing low to the ground.
• 3. "My lord," he said, "if it pleases you, stop here for a while.
• 4. Rest in the shade of this tree while my servants get some water to wash your feet.
• 5. Let me prepare some food to refresh you. Please stay awhile before continuing on your journey.All right," they said. "Do as you have said."
• 6. So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Get three measures of your best flour, and bake some bread."
• 7. Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a fat calf and told a servant to hurry and butcher it.
• 8. When the food was ready, he took some cheese curds and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them there beneath the trees.
• 9. "Where is Sarah, your wife?" they asked him. "In the tent," Abraham replied.
• 10. Then one of them said, "About this time next year I will return, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Now Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent nearby.
• 11. And since Abraham and Sarah were both very old, and Sarah was long past the age of having children,
• 12. she laughed silently to herself. "How could a worn-out woman like me have a baby?" she thought. "And when my master--my husband--is also so old?"
• 13. Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, `Can an old woman like me have a baby?'
• 14. Is anything too hard for the LORD? About a year from now, just as I told you, I will return, and Sarah will have a son."
• 15. Sarah was afraid, so she denied that she had laughed. But he said, "That is not true. You did laugh."
• 16. Then the men got up from their meal and started on toward Sodom. Abraham went with them part of the way.
• 17. "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?" the LORD asked.
• 18. "For Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
• 19. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and just. Then I will do for him all that I have promised."
• 20. So the LORD told Abraham, "I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are extremely evil, and that everything they do is wicked.
• 21. I am going down to see whether or not these reports are true. Then I will know."
• 22. The two other men went on toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham for a while.
• 23. Abraham approached him and said, "Will you destroy both innocent and guilty alike?
• 24. Suppose you find fifty innocent people there within the city--will you still destroy it, and not spare it for their sakes?
• 25. Surely you wouldn't do such a thing, destroying the innocent with the guilty. Why, you would be treating the innocent and the guilty exactly the same! Surely you wouldn't do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?"
• 26. And the LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake."
• 27. Then Abraham spoke again. "Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.
• 28. Suppose there are only forty-five? Will you destroy the city for lack of five?" And the LORD said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five."
• 29. Then Abraham pressed his request further. "Suppose there are only forty?" And the LORD replied, "I will not destroy it if there are forty."
• 30. "Please don't be angry, my Lord," Abraham pleaded. "Let me speak--suppose only thirty are found?" And the LORD replied, "I will not destroy it if there are thirty."
• 31. Then Abraham said, "Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue--suppose there are only twenty?" And the LORD said, "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."
• 32. Finally, Abraham said, "Lord, please do not get angry; I will speak but once more! Suppose only ten are found there?" And the LORD said, "Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it."
• 33. The LORD went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his tent.

Matthew 17

• 1. Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain.
• 2. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance changed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white.
• 3. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
• 4. Peter blurted out, "Lord, this is wonderful! If you want me to, I'll make three shrines, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
• 5. But even as he said it, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him. Listen to him."
• 6. The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
• 7. Jesus came over and touched them. "Get up," he said, "don't be afraid."
• 8. And when they looked, they saw only Jesus with them.
• 9. As they descended the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until I, the Son of Man, have been raised from the dead."
• 10. His disciples asked, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?"
• 11. Jesus replied, "Elijah is indeed coming first to set everything in order.
• 12. But I tell you, he has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and he was badly mistreated. And soon the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands."
• 13. Then the disciples realized he had been speaking of John the Baptist.
• 14. When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, a huge crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,
• 15. "Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
• 16. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
• 17. Jesus replied, "You stubborn, faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
• 18. Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
• 19. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
• 20. "You didn't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
• 21. See Footnote
• 22. One day after they had returned to Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed.
• 23. He will be killed, but three days later he will be raised from the dead." And the disciples' hearts were filled with grief.
• 24. On their arrival in Capernaum, the tax collectors for the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?"
• 25. "Of course he does," Peter replied. Then he went into the house to talk to Jesus about it. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the foreigners they have conquered?"
• 26. "They tax the foreigners," Peter replied. "Well, then," Jesus said, "the citizens are free!
• 27. However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a coin. Take the coin and pay the tax for both of us."

Nehemiah 7

• 1. After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
• 2. I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
• 3. I said to them, "Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And while the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at their regular posts and some in front of their own homes."
• 4. At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city.
• 5. So my God gave me the idea to call together all the leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:
• 6. "Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.
• 7. Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of men of Israel who returned from exile:
• 8. The family of Parosh.................... 2,172
• 9. The family of Shephatiah.................. 372
• 10. The family of Arah...................... 652
• 11. The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)......... 2,818
• 12. The family of Elam..................... 1,254
• 13. The family of Zattu....................... 845
• 14. The family of Zaccai...................... 760
• 15. The family of Bani..................... 648
• 16. The family of Bebai...................... 628
• 17. The family of Azgad.................... 2,322
• 18. The family of Adonikam.................. 667
• 19. The family of Bigvai.................... 2,067
• 20. The family of Adin...................... 655
• 21. The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)................. 98
• 22. The family of Hashum.................... 328
• 23. The family of Bezai...................... 324
• 24. The family of Jorah.................... 112
• 25. The family of Gibbar.................... 95
• 26. The peoples of Bethlehem and Netophah......................... 188
• 27. The people of Anathoth.................... 128
• 28. The people of Beth-azmaveth............... 42
• 29. The peoples of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth................... 743
• 30. The peoples of Ramah and Geba............. 621
• 31. The people of Micmash.................... 122
• 32. The peoples of Bethel and Ai................ 123
• 33. The people of Nebo........................ 52
• 34. The citizens of Elam...................... 1,254
• 35. The citizens of Harim...................... 320
• 36. The citizens of Jericho..................... 345
• 37. The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono.............................. 721
• 38. The citizens of Senaah.................... 3,930
• 39. "These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)...... 973
• 40. The family of Immer.......... 1,052
• 41. The family of Pashhur......... 1,247
• 42. The family of Harim.......... 1,017
• 43. "These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah )...... 74
• 44. The singers of the family of Asaph...148
• 45. The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.............. 138
• 46. "The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
• 47. Keros, Siaha, Padon,
• 48. Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
• 49. Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
• 50. Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
• 51. Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
• 52. Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
• 53. Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
• 54. Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
• 55. Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
• 56. Neziah, and Hatipha.
• 57. "The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda,
• 58. Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
• 59. Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.
• 60. "In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.
• 61. "Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel.
• 62. This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda--a total of 642 people.
• 63. "Three families of priests--Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai--also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)
• 64. But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests.
• 65. The governor would not even let them eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots.
• 66. "So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
• 67. in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
• 68. They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
• 69. 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
• 70. "Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests.
• 71. The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
• 72. The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
• 73. "So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, along with some of the people--that is to say, all Israel--settled in their own towns." Now in midautumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns,

New Living Translation: 17 of 365 days.