1 Samuel 17

• 1. The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.
• 2. Saul countered by gathering his troops near the valley of Elah.
• 3. So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them.
• 4. Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was a giant of a man, measuring over nine feet tall!
• 5. He wore a bronze helmet and a coat of mail that weighed 125 pounds.
• 6. He also wore bronze leggings, and he slung a bronze javelin over his back.
• 7. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. An armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a huge shield.
• 8. Goliath stood and shouted across to the Israelites, "Do you need a whole army to settle this? Choose someone to fight for you, and I will represent the Philistines. We will settle this dispute in single combat!
• 9. If your man is able to kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!
• 10. I defy the armies of Israel! Send me a man who will fight with me!"
• 11. When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.
• 12. Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons in all.
• 13. Jesse's three oldest sons--Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah--had already joined Saul's army to fight the Philistines.
• 14. David was the youngest of Jesse's sons. Since David's three oldest brothers were in the army, they stayed with Saul's forces all the time.
• 15. But David went back and forth between working for Saul and helping his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.
• 16. For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army.
• 17. One day Jesse said to David, "Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers.
• 18. And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring me back a letter from them. "
• 19. David's brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.
• 20. So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts. He arrived at the outskirts of the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries.
• 21. Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.
• 22. David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers.
• 23. As he was talking with them, he saw Goliath, the champion from Gath, come out from the Philistine ranks, shouting his challenge to the army of Israel.
• 24. As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright.
• 25. "Have you seen the giant?" the men were asking. "He comes out each day to challenge Israel. And have you heard about the huge reward the king has offered to anyone who kills him? The king will give him one of his daughters for a wife, and his whole family will be exempted from paying taxes!"
• 26. David talked to some others standing there to verify the report. "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and putting an end to his abuse of Israel?" he asked them. "Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?"
• 27. And David received the same reply as before: "What you have been hearing is true. That is the reward for killing the giant."
• 28. But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle!"
• 29. "What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!"
• 30. He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer.
• 31. Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.
• 32. "Don't worry about a thing," David told Saul. "I'll go fight this Philistine!"
• 33. "Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!"
• 34. But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock,
• 35. I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.
• 36. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!
• 37. The LORD who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!"
• 38. Then Saul gave David his own armor--a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.
• 39. David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. "I can't go in these," he protested. "I'm not used to them." So he took them off again.
• 40. He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his shepherd's bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across to fight Goliath.
• 41. Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him,
• 42. sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy.
• 43. "Am I a dog," he roared at David, "that you come at me with a stick?" And he cursed David by the names of his gods.
• 44. "Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!" Goliath yelled.
• 45. David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty--the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
• 46. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!
• 47. And everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us!"
• 48. As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.
• 49. Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it from his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face downward to the ground.
• 50. So David triumphed over the Philistine giant with only a stone and sling. And since he had no sword,
• 51. he ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. David used it to kill the giant and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.
• 52. Then the Israelites gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.
• 53. Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp.
• 54. (David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem, but he stored the Philistine's armor in his own tent.)
• 55. As Saul watched David go out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the general of his army, "Abner, whose son is he?I really don't know," Abner said.
• 56. "Well, find out!" the king told him.
• 57. After David had killed Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine's head still in his hand.
• 58. "Tell me about your father, my boy," Saul said. And David replied, "His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem."

Romans 15

• 1. We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong.
• 2. We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
• 3. For even Christ didn't please himself. As the Scriptures say, "Those who insult you are also insulting me."
• 4. Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises.
• 5. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other--each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other.
• 6. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 7. So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.
• 8. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.
• 9. And he came so the Gentiles might also give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: "I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name."
• 10. And in another place it is written, "Rejoice, O you Gentiles, along with his people, the Jews."
• 11. And yet again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise him, all you people of the earth."
• 12. And the prophet Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hopes on him."
• 13. So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• 14. I am fully convinced, dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well that you are able to teach others all about them.
• 15. Even so, I have been bold enough to emphasize some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder from me. For I am, by God's grace,
• 16. a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News and offer you up as a fragrant sacrifice to God so that you might be pure and pleasing to him by the Holy Spirit.
• 17. So it is right for me to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.
• 18. I dare not boast of anything else. I have brought the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I lived before them.
• 19. I have won them over by the miracles done through me as signs from God--all by the power of God's Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ all the way from Jerusalem clear over into Illyricum.
• 20. My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.
• 21. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, "Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand."
• 22. In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.
• 23. But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.
• 24. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can send me on my way again.
• 25. But before I come, I must go down to Jerusalem to take a gift to the Christians there.
• 26. For you see, the believers in Greece have eagerly taken up an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem, who are going through such hard times.
• 27. They were very glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the wonderful spiritual blessings of the Good News from the Jewish Christians, they feel the least they can do in return is help them financially.
• 28. As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.
• 29. And I am sure that when I come, Christ will give me a great blessing for you.
• 30. Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
• 31. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the Christians there will be willing to accept the donation I am bringing them.
• 32. Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a happy heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
• 33. And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

Lamentations 2

• 1. The Lord in his anger has cast a dark shadow over Jerusalem. The fairest of Israel's cities lies in the dust, thrown down from the heights of heaven. In his day of awesome fury, the Lord has shown no mercy even to his Temple.
• 2. Without mercy the Lord has destroyed every home in Israel. In his anger he has broken down the fortress walls of Jerusalem. He has brought to dust the kingdom and all its rulers.
• 3. All the strength of Israel vanishes beneath his fury. The Lord has withdrawn his protection as the enemy attacks. He consumes the whole land of Israel like a raging fire.
• 4. He bends his bow against his people as though he were their enemy. His strength is used against them to kill their finest youth. His fury is poured out like fire on beautiful Jerusalem.
• 5. Yes, the Lord has vanquished Israel like an enemy. He has destroyed her forts and palaces. He has brought unending sorrow and tears to Jerusalem.
• 6. He has broken down his Temple as though it were merely a garden shelter. The LORD has blotted out all memory of the holy festivals and Sabbath days. Kings and priests fall together before his anger.
• 7. The Lord has rejected his own altar; he despises his own sanctuary. He has given Jerusalem's palaces to her enemies. They shout in the LORD's Temple as though it were a day of celebration.
• 8. The LORD was determined to destroy the walls of Jerusalem. He made careful plans for their destruction, then he went ahead and did it. Therefore, the ramparts and walls have fallen down before him.
• 9. Jerusalem's gates have sunk into the ground. All their locks and bars are destroyed, for he has smashed them. Her kings and princes have been exiled to distant lands; the law is no more. Her prophets receive no more visions from the LORD.
• 10. The leaders of Jerusalem sit on the ground in silence, clothed in sackcloth. They throw dust on their heads in sorrow and despair. The young women of Jerusalem hang their heads in shame.
• 11. I have cried until the tears no longer come. My heart is broken, my spirit poured out, as I see what has happened to my people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets.
• 12. "Mama, we want food," they cry, and then collapse in their mothers' arms. Their lives ebb away like the life of a warrior wounded in battle.
• 13. In all the world has there ever been such sorrow? O daughter of Jerusalem, to what can I compare your anguish? O virgin daughter of Zion, how can I comfort you? For your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?
• 14. Your "prophets" have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not try to hold you back from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope.
• 15. All who pass by jeer at you. They scoff and insult Jerusalem, saying, "Is this the city called `Most Beautiful in All the World' and `Joy of All the Earth'?"
• 16. All your enemies deride you. They scoff and grind their teeth and say, "We have destroyed her at last! Long have we awaited this day, and it is finally here!"
• 17. But it is the LORD who did it just as he warned. He has fulfilled the promises of disaster he made long ago. He has destroyed Jerusalem without mercy and caused her enemies to rejoice over her and boast of their power.
• 18. Cry aloud before the Lord, O walls of Jerusalem! Let your tears flow like a river. Give yourselves no rest from weeping day or night.
• 19. Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer. Plead for your children as they faint with hunger in the streets.
• 20. "O LORD, think about this!" Jerusalem cries. "You are doing this to your own people! Should mothers eat their little children, those they once bounced on their knees? Should priests and prophets die within the Lord's Temple?
• 21. "See them lying in the streets--young and old, boys and girls, killed by the swords of the enemy. You have killed them in your anger, slaughtering them without mercy.
• 22. "You have invited terrors from all around as though you were calling them to a day of feasting. In the day of the LORD's anger, no one has escaped or survived. The enemy has killed all the children I bore and raised."

New Living Translation: 237 of 365 days.