Judges 1

• 1. After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Which tribe should attack the Canaanites first?"
• 2. The LORD answered, "Judah, for I have given them victory over the land."
• 3. The leaders of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, "Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory." So the men of Simeon went with Judah.
• 4. When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed ten thousand enemy warriors at the town of Bezek.
• 5. While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated.
• 6. Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
• 7. Adoni-bezek said, "I once had seventy kings with thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them." They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
• 8. The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire.
• 9. Then they turned south to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills.
• 10. Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
• 11. From there they marched against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher).
• 12. Then Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher."
• 13. Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel's wife.
• 14. When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for an additional field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What is it? What can I do for you?"
• 15. She said, "Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
• 16. When the tribe of Judah left Jericho, the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses' father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.
• 17. Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed the town. So the town was named Hormah.
• 18. In addition, Judah captured the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories.
• 19. The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains because the people there had iron chariots.
• 20. The city of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak.
• 21. The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.
• 22. The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the LORD was with them.
• 23. They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz),
• 24. who confronted a man coming out of the city. They said to him, "Show us a way into the city, and we will have mercy on you."
• 25. So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the city except for this man and his family.
• 26. Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city. He named the city Luz, and it is known by that name to this day.
• 27. The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their surrounding villages, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.
• 28. When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them out of the land.
• 29. The tribe of Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, and so the Canaanites continued to live there among them.
• 30. The tribe of Zebulun also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron and Nahalol, who continued to live among them. But they forced them to work as slaves.
• 31. The tribe of Asher also failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.
• 32. In fact, because they did not drive them out, the Canaanites dominated the land where the people of Asher lived.
• 33. The tribe of Naphtali also failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, the Canaanites dominated the land where they lived. Nevertheless, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were sometimes forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali.
• 34. As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains.
• 35. The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves.
• 36. The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass to Sela and continued upward from there.

Acts 5

• 1. There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.
• 2. He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception.
• 3. Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
• 4. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."
• 5. As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.
• 6. Then some young men wrapped him in a sheet and took him out and buried him.
• 7. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
• 8. Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?Yes," she replied, "that was the price."
• 9. And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this--conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too."
• 10. Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
• 11. Great fear gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened.
• 12. Meanwhile, the apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade.
• 13. No one else dared to join them, though everyone had high regard for them.
• 14. And more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord--crowds of both men and women.
• 15. As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.
• 16. Crowds came in from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
• 17. The high priest and his friends, who were Sadducees, reacted with violent jealousy.
• 18. They arrested the apostles and put them in the jail.
• 19. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,
• 20. "Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!"
• 21. So the apostles entered the Temple about daybreak and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council, along with all the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial.
• 22. But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported,
• 23. "The jail was locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!"
• 24. When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.
• 25. Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, teaching the people.
• 26. The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested them, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they treated the apostles roughly.
• 27. Then they brought the apostles in before the council.
• 28. "Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?" the high priest demanded. "Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus, and you intend to blame us for his death!"
• 29. But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than human authority.
• 30. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by crucifying him.
• 31. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this to give the people of Israel an opportunity to turn from their sins and turn to God so their sins would be forgiven.
• 32. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him."
• 33. At this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.
• 34. But one member had a different perspective. He was a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert on religious law and was very popular with the people. He stood up and ordered that the apostles be sent outside the council chamber for a while.
• 35. Then he addressed his colleagues as follows: "Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!
• 36. Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.
• 37. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got some people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
• 38. "So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.
• 39. But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God."
• 40. The council accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
• 41. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus.
• 42. And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."

Jeremiah 14

• 1. This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD, explaining why he was holding back the rain:
• 2. "Judah wilts; her businesses have ground to a halt. All the people sit on the ground in mourning, and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.
• 3. The nobles send servants to get water, but all the wells are dry. The servants return with empty pitchers, confused and desperate, covering their heads in grief.
• 4. The ground is parched and cracked for lack of rain. The farmers are afraid; they, too, cover their heads.
• 5. The deer abandons her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
• 6. The wild donkeys stand on the bare hills panting like thirsty jackals. They strain their eyes looking for grass to eat, but there is none to be found."
• 7. The people say, "LORD, our wickedness has caught up with us. We have sinned against you. So please, help us for the sake of your own reputation.
• 8. O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble! Why are you like a stranger to us? Why are you like someone passing through the land, stopping only for the night?
• 9. Are you also confused? Are you helpless to save us? You are right here among us, LORD. We are known as your people. Please don't abandon us now!"
• 10. So the LORD replies to his people, "You love to wander far from me and do not follow in my paths. Now I will no longer accept you as my people. I will remember all your wickedness and will punish you for your sins."
• 11. Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for these people anymore.
• 12. When they fast in my presence, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. In return, I will give them only war, famine, and disease."
• 13. Then I said, "O Sovereign LORD, their prophets are telling them, `All is well--no war or famine will come. The LORD will surely send you peace.'"
• 14. Then the LORD said, "These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.
• 15. Therefore, says the LORD, I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine!
• 16. As for the people to whom they prophesy--their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and war. There will be no one left to bury them. Husbands, wives, sons, and daughters--all will be gone. For I will pour out their own wickedness on them.
• 17. "Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: `Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter--my precious people--has been run through with a sword and lies mortally wounded on the ground.
• 18. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, there I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they do not know what they are doing.'"
• 19. LORD, have you completely rejected Judah? Do you really hate Jerusalem? Why have you wounded us past all hope of healing? We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing but found only terror.
• 20. LORD, we confess our wickedness and that of our ancestors, too. We all have sinned against you.
• 21. For the sake of your own name, LORD, do not abandon us. Do not disgrace yourself and the throne of your glory. Do not break your covenant with us. Please don't forget us!
• 22. Can any of the foreign gods send us rain? Does it fall from the sky by itself? No, it comes from you, the LORD our God! Only you can do such things. So we will wait for you to help us.

New Living Translation: 199 of 365 days.