2 Samuel 11

• 1. The following spring, the time of year when kings go to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to destroy the Ammonites. In the process they laid siege to the city of Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
• 2. Late one afternoon David got out of bed after taking a nap and went for a stroll on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
• 3. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite."
• 4. Then David sent for her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. (She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period.) Then she returned home.
• 5. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent a message to inform David.
• 6. So David sent word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite."
• 7. When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing.
• 8. Then he told Uriah, "Go on home and relax." David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace.
• 9. But Uriah wouldn't go home. He stayed that night at the palace entrance with some of the king's other servants.
• 10. When David heard what Uriah had done, he summoned him and asked, "What's the matter with you? Why didn't you go home last night after being away for so long?"
• 11. Uriah replied, "The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and his officers are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I will never be guilty of acting like that."
• 12. "Well, stay here tonight," David told him, "and tomorrow you may return to the army." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
• 13. Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance.
• 14. So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.
• 15. The letter instructed Joab, "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed."
• 16. So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy's strongest men were fighting.
• 17. And Uriah was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
• 18. Then Joab sent a battle report to David.
• 19. He told his messenger, "Report all the news of the battle to the king.
• 20. But he might get angry and ask, `Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn't they know there would be shooting from the walls?
• 21. Wasn't Gideon's son Abimelech killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him?' Then tell him, `Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.'"
• 22. So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David.
• 23. "The enemy came out against us," he said. "And as we chased them back to the city gates,
• 24. the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of our men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite."
• 25. "Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged," David said. "The sword kills one as well as another! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!"
• 26. When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.
• 27. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was very displeased with what David had done.

2 Corinthians 4

• 1. And so, since God in his mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up.
• 2. We reject all shameful and underhanded methods. We do not try to trick anyone, and we do not distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know that.
• 3. If the Good News we preach is veiled from anyone, it is a sign that they are perishing.
• 4. Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
• 5. We don't go around preaching about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord. All we say about ourselves is that we are your servants because of what Jesus has done for us.
• 6. For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
• 7. But this precious treasure--this light and power that now shine within us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.
• 8. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit.
• 9. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
• 10. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
• 11. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies.
• 12. So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.
• 13. But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, and so I speak."
• 14. We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you.
• 15. All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
• 16. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
• 17. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!
• 18. So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

Ezekiel 18

• 1. Then another message came to me from the LORD:
• 2. "Why do you quote this proverb in the land of Israel: `The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste'?
• 3. As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not say this proverb anymore in Israel.
• 4. For all people are mine to judge--both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies.
• 5. "Suppose a certain man is just and does what is lawful and right,
• 6. and he has not feasted in the mountains before Israel's idols or worshiped them. And suppose he does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.
• 7. Suppose he is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given in pledge by poor debtors, and does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for people in need.
• 8. And suppose he grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,
• 9. and faithfully obeys my laws and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD.
• 10. "But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right.
• 11. And suppose that son does all the evil things his father would never do--worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery,
• 12. oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem what they have given in pledge, worships idols and takes part in loathsome practices,
• 13. and lends money at interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame.
• 14. "But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father's wickedness but decides against that kind of life.
• 15. Suppose this son refuses to worship idols on the mountains, does not commit adultery,
• 16. and does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. And suppose this son feeds the hungry, provides clothes for the needy,
• 17. helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and laws. Such a person will not die because of his father's sins; he will surely live.
• 18. But the father will die for the many sins he committed--for being cruel and robbing close relatives, doing what was clearly wrong among his people.
• 19. " `What?' you ask. `Doesn't the child pay for the parent's sins?' No! For if the child does what is right and keeps my laws, that child will surely live.
• 20. The one who sins is the one who dies. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own goodness, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
• 21. But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
• 22. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.
• 23. "Do you think, asks the Sovereign LORD, that I like to see wicked people die? Of course not! I only want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
• 24. However, if righteous people turn to sinful ways and start acting like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their previous goodness will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.
• 25. "Yet you say, `The Lord isn't being just!' Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one who is unjust, or is it you?
• 26. When righteous people turn from being good and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds.
• 27. And if wicked people turn away from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
• 28. They will live, because after thinking it over, they decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
• 29. And yet the people of Israel keep saying, `The Lord is unjust!' O people of Israel, it is you who are unjust, not I.
• 30. "Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don't let them destroy you!
• 31. Put all your rebellion behind you, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?
• 32. I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!

New Living Translation: 258 of 365 days.