2 Kings 11

• 1. When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she set out to destroy the rest of the royal family.
• 2. But Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah's infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king's children, who were about to be killed. Jehosheba put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, so the child was not murdered.
• 3. Joash and his nurse remained hidden in the Temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.
• 4. In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, Jehoiada the priest summoned the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, and the guards to come to the Temple of the LORD. He made a pact with them and made them swear an oath of loyalty there in the LORD's Temple; then he showed them the king's son.
• 5. Jehoiada told them, "This is what you must do. A third of you who are on duty on the Sabbath are to guard the royal palace itself.
• 6. Another third of you are to stand guard at the Sur Gate. And the final third must stand guard behind the palace guard. These three groups will all guard the palace.
• 7. The other two units who are off duty on the Sabbath must stand guard for the king at the LORD's Temple.
• 8. Form a bodyguard for the king and keep your weapons in hand. Any unauthorized person who approaches you must be killed. Stay right beside the king at all times."
• 9. So the commanders did everything just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. They brought them all to Jehoiada the priest,
• 10. and he supplied them with the spears and shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of the LORD.
• 11. The guards stationed themselves around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.
• 12. Then Jehoiada brought out Joash, the king's son, and placed the crown on his head. He presented Joash with a copy of God's covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and all the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
• 13. When Athaliah heard all the noise made by the guards and the people, she hurried to the LORD's Temple to see what was happening.
• 14. And she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar, as was the custom at times of coronation. The officers and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"
• 15. Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, "Take her out of the Temple, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her. Do not kill her here in the Temple of the LORD."
• 16. So they seized her and led her out to the gate where horses enter the palace grounds, and she was killed there.
• 17. Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
• 18. And all the people of the land went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Jehoiada the priest stationed guards at the Temple of the LORD.
• 19. Then the commanders, the Carite mercenaries, the guards, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the LORD. They went through the gate of the guards and into the palace, and the king took his seat on the royal throne.
• 20. So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed at the king's palace.
• 21. Joash was seven years old when he became king.

2 Kings 12

• 1. Joash began to rule over Judah in the seventh year of King Jehu's reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah, from Beersheba.
• 2. All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
• 3. Yet even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.
• 4. One day King Joash said to the priests, "Collect all the money brought as a sacred offering to the LORD's Temple, whether it is a regular assessment, a payment of vows, or a voluntary gift.
• 5. Let the priests take some of that money to pay for whatever repairs are needed at the Temple."
• 6. But by the twenty-third year of Joash's reign, the priests still had not repaired the Temple.
• 7. So King Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and asked them, "Why haven't you repaired the Temple? Don't use any more gifts for your own needs. From now on, it must all be spent on getting the Temple into good condition."
• 8. So the priests agreed not to collect any more money from the people, and they also agreed not to undertake the repairs of the Temple themselves.
• 9. Then Jehoiada the priest bored a hole in the lid of a large chest and set it on the right-hand side of the altar at the entrance of the Temple of the LORD. The priests guarding the entrance put all of the people's contributions into the chest.
• 10. Whenever the chest became full, the court secretary and the high priest counted the money that had been brought to the LORD's Temple and put it into bags.
• 11. Then they gave the money to the construction supervisors, who used it to pay the people working on the LORD's Temple--the carpenters, the builders,
• 12. the masons, and the stonecutters. They also used the money to buy timber and cut stone for repairing the LORD's Temple, and they paid any other expenses related to the Temple's restoration.
• 13. The money brought to the Temple was not used for making silver cups, lamp snuffers, basins, trumpets, or other articles of gold or silver for the Temple of the LORD.
• 14. It was paid out to the workmen, who used it for the Temple repairs.
• 15. No accounting was required from the construction supervisors, because they were honest and faithful workers.
• 16. However, the money that was contributed for guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the LORD's Temple. It was given to the priests for their own use.
• 17. About this time King Hazael of Aram went to war against Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.
• 18. King Joash collected all the sacred objects that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the previous kings of Judah, had dedicated, along with what he himself had dedicated. He sent them all to Hazael, along with all the gold in the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and the royal palace. So Hazael called off his attack on Jerusalem.
• 19. The rest of the events in Joash's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
• 20. But his officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo on the road to Silla.
• 21. The assassins were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer--both trusted advisers. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Amaziah became the next king.

2 Timothy 2

• 1. Timothy, my dear son, be strong with the special favor God gives you in Christ Jesus.
• 2. You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.
• 3. Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
• 4. And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army.
• 5. Follow the Lord's rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize.
• 6. Hardworking farmers are the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.
• 7. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will give you understanding in all these things.
• 8. Never forget that Jesus Christ was a man born into King David's family and that he was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.
• 9. And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.
• 10. I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
• 11. This is a true saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.
• 12. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.
• 13. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
• 14. Remind everyone of these things, and command them in God's name to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
• 15. Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
• 16. Avoid godless, foolish discussions that lead to more and more ungodliness.
• 17. This kind of talk spreads like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples of this.
• 18. They have left the path of truth, preaching the lie that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; and they have undermined the faith of some.
• 19. But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness."
• 20. In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.
• 21. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
• 22. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
• 23. Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.
• 24. The Lord's servants must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people.
• 25. They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will believe the truth.
• 26. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Hosea 3

• 1. Then the LORD said to me, "Go and get your wife again. Bring her back to you and love her, even though she loves adultery. For the LORD still loves Israel even though the people have turned to other gods, offering them choice gifts. "
• 2. So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and about five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.
• 3. Then I said to her, "You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual intercourse with anyone, not even with me. "
• 4. This illustrates that Israel will be a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, temple, priests, or even idols!
• 5. But afterward the people will return to the LORD their God and to David's descendant, their king. They will come trembling in awe to the LORD, and they will receive his good gifts in the last days.

Hosea 4

• 1. Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel! The LORD has filed a lawsuit against you, saying: "There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.
• 2. You curse and lie and kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, with one murder after another.
• 3. That is why your land is not producing. It is filled with sadness, and all living things are becoming sick and dying. Even the animals, birds, and fish have begun to disappear.
• 4. "Don't point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! Look, you priests, my complaint is with you!
• 5. As a sentence for your crimes, you will stumble in broad daylight, just as you might at night, and so will your false prophets. And I will destroy your mother, Israel.
• 6. My people are being destroyed because they don't know me. It is all your fault, you priests, for you yourselves refuse to know me. Now I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.
• 7. The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the disgrace of idols.
• 8. "The priests get fed when the people sin and bring their sin offerings to them. So the priests are glad when the people sin!
• 9. `Like priests, like people'--since the priests are wicked, the people are wicked, too. So now I will punish both priests and people for all their wicked deeds.
• 10. They will eat and still be hungry. Though they do a big business as prostitutes, they will have no children, for they have deserted the LORD to worship other gods.
• 11. "Alcohol and prostitution have robbed my people of their brains.
• 12. They are asking a piece of wood to tell them what to do! They think a stick can tell them the future! Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute, serving other gods and deserting their God.
• 13. They offer sacrifices to idols on the tops of mountains. They go up into the hills to burn incense in the pleasant shade of oaks, poplars, and other trees. "That is why your daughters turn to prostitution, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
• 14. Why should I punish them? For you men are doing the same thing, sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes. O foolish people! You will be destroyed, for you refuse to understand.
• 15. "Though Israel is a prostitute, may Judah avoid such guilt. O Judah, do not join with those who worship me insincerely at Gilgal and at Beth-aven. Their worship is mere pretense as they take oaths in the LORD's name.
• 16. Israel is as stubborn as a heifer, so the LORD will put her out to pasture. She will stand alone and unprotected, like a helpless lamb in an open field.
• 17. Leave her alone because she is married to idolatry.
• 18. The men of Israel finish up their drinking bouts and off they go to find some prostitutes. Their love for shame is greater than their love for honor.
• 19. So a mighty wind will sweep them away. They will die in shame because they offer sacrifices to idols.

New Living Translation: 303 of 365 days.