Genesis 33

• 1. Then, in the distance, Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred men.
• 2. Jacob now arranged his family into a column, with his two concubines and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.
• 3. Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed low seven times before him.
• 4. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him. Both of them were in tears.
• 5. Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, "Who are these people with you?These are the children God has graciously given to me," Jacob replied.
• 6. Then the concubines came forward with their children and bowed low before him.
• 7. Next Leah came with her children, and they bowed down. Finally, Rachel and Joseph came and made their bows.
• 8. "And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are gifts, my lord, to ensure your goodwill."
• 9. "Brother, I have plenty," Esau answered. "Keep what you have."
• 10. "No, please accept them," Jacob said, "for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God!
• 11. Please take my gifts, for God has been very generous to me. I have more than enough." Jacob continued to insist, so Esau finally accepted them.
• 12. "Well, let's be going," Esau said. "I will stay with you and lead the way."
• 13. But Jacob replied, "You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, they may die.
• 14. So go on ahead of us. We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir."
• 15. "Well," Esau said, "at least let me leave some of my men to guide and protect you.There is no reason for you to be so kind to me," Jacob insisted.
• 16. So Esau started back to Seir that same day.
• 17. Meanwhile, Jacob and his household traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his flocks and herds. That is why the place was named Succoth.
• 18. Then they arrived safely at Shechem, in Canaan, and they set up camp just outside the town.
• 19. Jacob bought the land he camped on from the family of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver.
• 20. And there he built an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Mark 4

• 1. Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. There was such a large crowd along the shore that he got into a boat and sat down and spoke from there.
• 2. He began to teach the people by telling many stories such as this one:
• 3. "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.
• 4. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.
• 5. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plant sprang up quickly,
• 6. but it soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil.
• 7. Other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades so that it produced no grain.
• 8. Still other seed fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted." Then he said,
• 9. "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"
• 10. Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him, "What do your stories mean?"
• 11. He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret about the Kingdom of God. But I am using these stories to conceal everything about it from outsiders,
• 12. so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'They see what I do, but they don't perceive its meaning. They hear my words, but they don't understand. So they will not turn from their sins and be forgiven.'
• 13. "But if you can't understand this story, how will you understand all the others I am going to tell?
• 14. The farmer I talked about is the one who brings God's message to others.
• 15. The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the message, but then Satan comes at once and takes it away from them.
• 16. The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy.
• 17. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.
• 18. The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News,
• 19. but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced.
• 20. But the good soil represents those who hear and accept God's message and produce a huge harvest--thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."
• 21. Then Jesus asked them, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed to shut out the light? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.
• 22. "Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light.
• 23. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!
• 24. And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand--and even more, besides.
• 25. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them."
• 26. Jesus also said, "Here is another illustration of what the Kingdom of God is like: A farmer planted seeds in a field,
• 27. and then he went on with his other activities. As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer's help,
• 28. because the earth produces crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
• 29. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle."
• 30. Jesus asked, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?
• 31. It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds,
• 32. it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter."
• 33. He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they were able to understand.
• 34. In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables, but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them.
• 35. As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."
• 36. He was already in the boat, so they started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).
• 37. But soon a fierce storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water.
• 38. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown?"
• 39. When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Quiet down!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
• 40. And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"
• 41. And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, "Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?"

Esther 9

• 1. So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to destroy them, but quite the opposite happened.
• 2. The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king's provinces to defend themselves against anyone who might try to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.
• 3. And all the commanders of the provinces, the princes, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai.
• 4. For Mordecai had been promoted in the king's palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
• 5. But the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.
• 6. They killed five hundred people in the fortress of Susa.
• 7. They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
• 8. Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
• 9. Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha--
• 10. the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.
• 11. That evening, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa,
• 12. he called for Queen Esther and said, "The Jews have killed five hundred people in the fortress of Susa alone and also Haman's ten sons. If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces? But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it."
• 13. And Esther said, "If it please Your Majesty, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and have the bodies of Haman's ten sons hung from the gallows. "
• 14. So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa. They also hung the bodies of Haman's ten sons from the gallows.
• 15. Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed three hundred more people, though again they took no plunder.
• 16. Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king's provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing seventy-five thousand of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder.
• 17. Throughout the provinces this was done on March 7. Then on the following day they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.
• 18. But the Jews at Susa continued killing their enemies on the second day also, and then rested on the third day, making that their day of feasting and gladness.
• 19. So to this day, rural Jews living in unwalled villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts to each other.
• 20. Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the king's provinces,
• 21. encouraging them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days.
• 22. He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts to each other and to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.
• 23. So the Jews adopted Mordecai's suggestion and began this annual custom.
• 24. Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the day and month determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).
• 25. But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman's evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were hanged on the gallows.
• 26. (That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.) So because of Mordecai's letter and because of what they had experienced,
• 27. the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year.
• 28. These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. These days would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.
• 29. Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen's full authority behind Mordecai's letter to establish the Festival of Purim.
• 30. In addition, letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes.
• 31. These letters established the Festival of Purim--an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.)
• 32. So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

New Living Translation: 32 of 365 days.