1 Kings 22

• 1. For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
• 2. Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel.
• 3. During the visit, Ahab said to his officials, "Do you realize that the Arameans are still occupying our city of Ramoth-gilead? And we haven't done a thing about it!"
• 4. Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, "Will you join me in fighting against Ramoth-gilead?" And Jehoshaphat replied to King Ahab, "Why, of course! You and I are brothers, and my troops are yours to command. Even my horses are at your service."
• 5. Then Jehoshaphat added, "But first let's find out what the LORD says."
• 6. So King Ahab summoned his prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, "Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead or not?" They all replied, "Go right ahead! The Lord will give you a glorious victory!"
• 7. But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD around, too? I would like to ask him the same question."
• 8. King Ahab replied, "There is still one prophet of the LORD, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but bad news for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.You shouldn't talk like that," Jehoshaphat said. "Let's hear what he has to say."
• 9. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Quick! Go and get Micaiah son of Imlah."
• 10. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab's prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
• 11. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, "This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!"
• 12. All the other prophets agreed. "Yes," they said, "go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give you victory!"
• 13. Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, "Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success."
• 14. But Micaiah replied, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me to say."
• 15. When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead or not?" And Micaiah replied, "Go right ahead! The LORD will give the king a glorious victory!"
• 16. But the king replied sharply, "How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth when you speak for the LORD?"
• 17. So Micaiah told him, "In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, `Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.'"
• 18. "Didn't I tell you?" the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat. "He does it every time. He never prophesies anything but bad news for me."
• 19. Then Micaiah continued, "Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
• 20. And the LORD said, `Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so that he can be killed there?' There were many suggestions,
• 21. until finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, `I can do it!'
• 22. " `How will you do this?' the LORD asked. "And the spirit replied, `I will go out and inspire all Ahab's prophets to speak lies.'" `You will succeed,' said the LORD. `Go ahead and do it.'
• 23. "So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the LORD has determined disaster for you."
• 24. Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. "When did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?" he demanded.
• 25. And Micaiah replied, "You will find out soon enough when you find yourself hiding in some secret room!"
• 26. King Ahab of Israel then ordered, "Arrest Micaiah and take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash.
• 27. Give them this order from the king: `Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!'"
• 28. But Micaiah replied, "If you return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me!" Then he added to those standing around, "Take note of what I have said."
• 29. So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.
• 30. Now King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes." So Ahab disguised himself, and they went into battle.
• 31. Now the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two charioteers: "Attack only the king of Israel!"
• 32. So when the Aramean charioteers saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. "There is the king of Israel!" they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat cried out,
• 33. the charioteers realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.
• 34. An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops, and the arrow hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. "Get me out of here!" Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. "I have been badly wounded!"
• 35. The battle raged all that day, and Ahab was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died.
• 36. Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: "It's all over--return home!"
• 37. So the king died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there.
• 38. Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, where the prostitutes bathed, and dogs came and licked the king's blood, just as the LORD had promised.
• 39. The rest of the events in Ahab's reign and the story of the ivory palace and the cities he built are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
• 40. When Ahab died, he was buried among his ancestors. Then his son Ahaziah became the next king.
• 41. Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to rule over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab's reign in Israel.
• 42. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
• 43. Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight. During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.
• 44. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
• 45. The rest of the events in Jehoshaphat's reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
• 46. He banished from the land the rest of the shrine prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa.
• 47. There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.
• 48. Jehoshaphat also built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But the ships never set sail, for they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
• 49. At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab proposed to Jehoshaphat, "Let my men sail an expedition with your men." But Jehoshaphat refused the offer.
• 50. When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.
• 51. Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.
• 52. But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into the sin of idolatry.
• 53. He served Baal and worshiped him, arousing the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.

1 Thessalonians 5

• 1. I really don't need to write to you about how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters.
• 2. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
• 3. When people are saying, "All is well; everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there will be no escape.
• 4. But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
• 5. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night.
• 6. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober.
• 7. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk.
• 8. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
• 9. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.
• 10. He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return.
• 11. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
• 12. Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong.
• 13. Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because of their work. And remember to live peaceably with each other.
• 14. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
• 15. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else.
• 16. Always be joyful.
• 17. Keep on praying.
• 18. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
• 19. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.
• 20. Do not scoff at prophecies,
• 21. but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
• 22. Keep away from every kind of evil.
• 23. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
• 24. God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this.
• 25. Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
• 26. Greet all the brothers and sisters in Christian love.
• 27. I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
• 28. And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Daniel 4

• 1. King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: "Peace and prosperity to you!
• 2. "I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.
• 3. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.
• 4. "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.
• 5. But one night I had a dream that greatly frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed.
• 6. So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant.
• 7. When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.
• 8. At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
• 9. "I said to him, `O Belteshazzar, master magician, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.
• 10. " `While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth.
• 11. The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.
• 12. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.
• 13. " `Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
• 14. The messenger shouted, "Cut down the tree; lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit! Chase the animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.
• 15. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live like an animal among the plants of the fields.
• 16. For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of an animal instead of a human.
• 17. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones. The purpose of this decree is that the whole world may understand that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses--even to the lowliest of humans."
• 18. " `O Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for no one else can help me. All the wisest men of my kingdom have failed me. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.'
• 19. "Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, aghast at the meaning of the dream. Finally, the king said to him, `Belteshazzar, don't be alarmed by the dream and what it means.'"Belteshazzar replied, `Oh, how I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!
• 20. You saw a tree growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.
• 21. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches.
• 22. That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.
• 23. " `Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, "Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him eat grass with the animals of the field for seven periods of time."
• 24. " `This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to you.
• 25. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.
• 26. But the stump and the roots were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.
• 27. " `O King Nebuchadnezzar, please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past by being merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.'
• 28. "But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.
• 29. Twelve months later, he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon.
• 30. As he looked out across the city, he said, `Just look at this great city of Babylon! I, by my own mighty power, have built this beautiful city as my royal residence and as an expression of my royal splendor.'
• 31. "While he was still speaking these words, a voice called down from heaven, `O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.
• 32. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.'
• 33. "That very same hour the prophecy was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles' feathers and his nails were like birds' claws.
• 34. "After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.
• 35. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He has the power to do as he pleases among the angels of heaven and with those who live on earth. No one can stop him or challenge him, saying, `What do you mean by doing these things?'
• 36. "When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and officers sought me out, and I was reestablished as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.
• 37. "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble those who are proud."

New Living Translation: 292 of 365 days.