2 Kings 15

• 1. Uzziah son of Amaziah began to rule over Judah in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel.
• 2. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah, from Jerusalem.
• 3. He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done.
• 4. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, where the people offered sacrifices and burned incense.
• 5. The LORD struck the king with leprosy, which lasted until the day of his death; he lived in a house by himself. The king's son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
• 6. The rest of the events in Uzziah's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
• 7. When Uzziah died, he was buried near his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jotham became the next king.
• 8. Zechariah son of Jeroboam II began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria six months.
• 9. Zechariah did what was evil in the LORD's sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
• 10. Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, assassinated him in public, and became the next king.
• 11. The rest of the events in Zechariah's reign are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
• 12. So the LORD's message to Jehu came true: "Your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation."
• 13. Shallum son of Jabesh began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. Shallum reigned in Samaria only one month.
• 14. Then Menahem son of Gadi went to Samaria from Tirzah and assassinated him, and he became the next king.
• 15. The rest of the events in Shallum's reign, including his conspiracy, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. Menahem Rules in Israel
• 16. At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuah and all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.
• 17. Menahem son of Gadi began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria ten years.
• 18. But Menahem did what was evil in the LORD's sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
• 19. Then King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty-seven tons of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power.
• 20. Menahem extorted the money from the rich of Israel, demanding that each of them pay twenty ounces of silver in the form of a special tax. So the king of Assyria turned from attacking Israel and did not stay in the land.
• 21. The rest of the events in Menahem's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
• 22. When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah became the next king.
• 23. Pekahiah son of Menahem began to rule over Israel in the fiftieth year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.
• 24. But Pekahiah did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
• 25. Then Pekah son of Remaliah, the commander of Pekahiah's army, conspired against him. With fifty men from Gilead, Pekah assassinated the king, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the palace at Samaria. Pekah then became the next king of Israel.
• 26. The rest of the events in Pekahiah's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. Pekah Rules in Israel
• 27. Pekah son of Remaliah began to rule over Israel in the fifty-second year of King Uzziah's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty years.
• 28. But Pekah did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.
• 29. During his reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.
• 30. Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah and assassinated him. He began to rule over Israel in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.
• 31. The rest of the events in Pekah's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. Jotham Rules in Judah
• 32. Jotham son of Uzziah began to rule over Judah in the second year of King Pekah's reign in Israel.
• 33. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.
• 34. Jotham did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight, just as his father Uzziah had done.
• 35. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, where the people offered sacrifices and burned incense. He was the one who rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of the LORD.
• 36. The rest of the events in Jotham's reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
• 37. In those days the LORD began to send King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel to attack Judah.
• 38. When Jotham died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Ahaz became the next king.

Titus 1

• 1. This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to bring faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
• 2. This truth gives them the confidence of eternal life, which God promised them before the world began--and he cannot lie.
• 3. And now at the right time he has revealed this Good News, and we announce it to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been trusted to do this work for him.
• 4. This letter is written to Titus, my true child in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.
• 5. I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you.
• 6. An elder must be well thought of for his good life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who are not wild or rebellious.
• 7. An elder must live a blameless life because he is God's minister. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or greedy for money.
• 8. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must love all that is good. He must live wisely and be fair. He must live a devout and disciplined life.
• 9. He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.
• 10. For there are many who rebel against right teaching; they engage in useless talk and deceive people. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation.
• 11. They must be silenced. By their wrong teaching, they have already turned whole families away from the truth. Such teachers only want your money.
• 12. One of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, "The people of Crete are all liars; they are cruel animals and lazy gluttons."
• 13. This is true. So rebuke them as sternly as necessary to make them strong in the faith.
• 14. They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned their backs on the truth.
• 15. Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled.
• 16. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

Hosea 8

• 1. "Sound the alarm! The enemy descends like an eagle on the people of the LORD, for they have broken my covenant and revolted against my law.
• 2. Now Israel pleads with me, `Help us, for you are our God!'
• 3. But it is too late! The people of Israel have rejected what is good, and now their enemies will chase after them.
• 4. The people have appointed kings and princes, but not with my consent. By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction.
• 5. "O Samaria, I reject this calf--this idol you have made. My fury burns against you. How long will you be incapable of innocence?
• 6. This calf you worship was crafted by your own hands! It is not God! Therefore, it must be smashed to bits.
• 7. "They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind. The stalks of wheat wither, producing no grain. And if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it.
• 8. The people of Israel have been swallowed up; they lie among the nations like an old pot that no one wants.
• 9. Like a wild donkey looking for a mate, they have gone up to Assyria. The people of Israel have sold themselves to many lovers.
• 10. But though they have sold themselves to many lands, I will now gather them together. Then they will writhe under the burden of the great king!
• 11. "Israel has built many altars to take away sin, but these very altars became places for sinning!
• 12. Even though I gave them all my laws, they act as if those laws don't apply to them.
• 13. The people of Israel love their rituals of sacrifice, but to me their sacrifices are all meaningless! I will call my people to account for their sins, and I will punish them. They will go back down to Egypt.
• 14. "Israel has built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. But they have both forgotten their Maker. Therefore, I will send down fire on their palaces and burn their fortresses."

New Living Translation: 306 of 365 days.