Judges 19

• 1. Now in those days Israel had no king. There was a man from the tribe of Levi living in a remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. One day he brought home a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine.
• 2. But she was unfaithful to him and returned to her father's home in Bethlehem. After about four months,
• 3. her husband took a servant and an extra donkey to Bethlehem to persuade her to come back. When he arrived at her father's house, she took him inside, and her father welcomed him.
• 4. Her father urged him to stay awhile, so he stayed three days, eating, drinking, and sleeping there.
• 5. On the fourth day the man was up early, ready to leave, but the woman's father said, "Have something to eat before you go."
• 6. So the two of them sat down together and had something to eat and drink. Then the woman's father said, "Please stay the night and enjoy yourself."
• 7. The man got up to leave, but his father-in-law kept urging him to stay, so he finally gave in and stayed the night.
• 8. On the morning of the fifth day he was up early again, ready to leave, and again the woman's father said, "Have something to eat; then you can leave some time this afternoon." So they had another day of feasting.
• 9. That afternoon, as he and his concubine and servant were preparing to leave, his father-in-law said, "Look, it's getting late. Stay the night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early and be on your way."
• 10. But this time the man was determined to leave. So he took his two saddled donkeys and his concubine and headed in the direction of Jebus (that is, Jerusalem).
• 11. It was late in the day when they reached Jebus, and the man's servant said to him, "It's getting too late to travel; let's stay in this Jebusite city tonight."
• 12. "No," his master said, "we can't stay in this foreign city where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.
• 13. We will find a place to spend the night in either Gibeah or Ramah."
• 14. So they went on. The sun was setting as they came to Gibeah, a town in the land of Benjamin,
• 15. so they stopped there to spend the night. They rested in the town square, but no one took them in for the night.
• 16. That evening an old man came home from his work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, but he was living in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.
• 17. When he saw the travelers sitting in the town square, he asked them where they were from and where they were going.
• 18. "We have been in Bethlehem in Judah," the man replied. "We are on our way home to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim, and we're going to the Tabernacle of the LORD. But no one has taken us in for the night,
• 19. even though we have everything we need. We have straw and fodder for our donkeys and plenty of bread and wine for ourselves."
• 20. "You are welcome to stay with me," the old man said. "I will give you anything you might need. But whatever you do, don't spend the night in the square."
• 21. So he took them home with him and fed their donkeys. After they washed their feet, they had supper together.
• 22. While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men in the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, "Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him."
• 23. The old man stepped outside to talk to them. "No, my brothers, don't do such an evil thing. For this man is my guest, and such a thing would be shameful.
• 24. Here, take my virgin daughter and this man's concubine. I will bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you like to them. But don't do such a shameful thing to this man."
• 25. But they wouldn't listen to him. Then the Levite took his concubine and pushed her out the door. The men of the town abused her all night, taking turns raping her until morning. Finally, at dawn, they let her go.
• 26. At daybreak the woman returned to the house where her husband was staying. She collapsed at the door of the house and lay there until it was light.
• 27. When her husband opened the door to leave, he found her there. She was lying face down, with her hands on the threshold.
• 28. He said, "Get up! Let's go!" But there was no answer. So he put her body on his donkey and took her home.
• 29. When he got home, he took a knife and cut his concubine's body into twelve pieces. Then he sent one piece to each tribe of Israel.
• 30. Everyone who saw it said, "Such a horrible crime has not been committed since Israel left Egypt. Shouldn't we speak up and do something about this?"

Acts 23

• 1. Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: "Brothers, I have always lived before God in all good conscience!"
• 2. Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.
• 3. But Paul said to him, "God will slap you, you whitewashed wall! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?"
• 4. Those standing near Paul said to him, "Is that the way to talk to God's high priest?"
• 5. "I'm sorry, brothers. I didn't realize he was the high priest," Paul replied, "for the Scriptures say, 'Do not speak evil of anyone who rules over you.'"
• 6. Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were all my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!"
• 7. This divided the council--the Pharisees against the Sadducees--
• 8. for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.
• 9. So a great clamor arose. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up to argue that Paul was all right. "We see nothing wrong with him," they shouted. "Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him."
• 10. The shouting grew louder and louder, and the men were tugging at Paul from both sides, pulling him this way and that. Finally, the commander, fearing they would tear him apart, ordered his soldiers to take him away from them and bring him back to the fortress.
• 11. That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have told the people about me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome."
• 12. The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath to neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
• 13. There were more than forty of them.
• 14. They went to the leading priests and other leaders and told them what they had done. "We have bound ourselves under oath to neither eat nor drink until we have killed Paul.
• 15. You and the high council should tell the commander to bring Paul back to the council again," they requested. "Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way."
• 16. But Paul's nephew heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.
• 17. Paul called one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him."
• 18. So the officer did, explaining, "Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."
• 19. The commander took him by the arm, led him aside, and asked, "What is it you want to tell me?"
• 20. Paul's nephew told him, "Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the Jewish high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information.
• 21. But don't do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to jump him and kill him. They have vowed not to eat or drink until they kill him. They are ready, expecting you to agree to their request."
• 22. "Don't let a soul know you told me this," the commander warned the young man as he sent him away.
• 23. Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight. Also take two hundred spearmen and seventy horsemen.
• 24. Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix."
• 25. Then he wrote this letter to the governor:
• 26. "From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings!
• 27. This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety.
• 28. Then I took him to their high council to try to find out what he had done.
• 29. I soon discovered it was something regarding their religious law--certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death.
• 30. But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you."
• 31. So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris.
• 32. They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the horsemen took him on to Caesarea.
• 33. When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.
• 34. He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. "Cilicia," Paul answered.
• 35. "I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive," the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod's headquarters.

Jeremiah 33

• 1. While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the LORD gave him this second message:
• 2. "The LORD, the Maker of the heavens and earth--the LORD is his name--says this:
• 3. Ask me and I will tell you some remarkable secrets about what is going to happen here.
• 4. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Though you have torn down the houses of this city and even the king's palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege weapons of the enemy,
• 5. the Babylonians will still enter. The men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness.
• 6. "Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem's damage and give her prosperity and peace.
• 7. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their cities.
• 8. I will cleanse away their sins against me, and I will forgive all their sins of rebellion.
• 9. Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe!
• 10. "This is what the LORD says: You say, `This land has been ravaged, and the people and animals have all disappeared.' Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah's other towns, there will be heard once more
• 11. the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the LORD. They will sing, `Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good. His faithful love endures forever!' For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD.
• 12. "This is what the LORD Almighty says: This land--though it is now desolate and the people and animals have all disappeared--will once more see shepherds leading sheep and lambs.
• 13. Once again their flocks will prosper in the towns of the hill country, the foothills of Judah, the Negev, the land of Benjamin, the vicinity of Jerusalem, and all the towns of Judah. I, the LORD, have spoken!
• 14. "The day will come, says the LORD, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good I have promised them.
• 15. At that time I will bring to the throne of David a righteous descendant, and he will do what is just and right throughout the land.
• 16. In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And their motto will be `The LORD is our righteousness!'
• 17. For this is what the LORD says: David will forever have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel.
• 18. And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me."
• 19. Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
• 20. "If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that they do not come on their usual schedule,
• 21. only then will my covenant with David, my servant, be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me.
• 22. And as the stars cannot be counted and the sand on the seashores cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David, my servant, and the Levites who minister before me."
• 23. The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,
• 24. "Have you heard what people are saying?--`The LORD chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!' They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation.
• 25. But this is the LORD's reply: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws of night and day, of earth and sky.
• 26. I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David's descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them."

New Living Translation: 217 of 365 days.