2 Chronicles 16

• 1. In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa's territory in Judah.
• 2. Asa responded by taking the silver and gold from the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and from the royal palace. He sent it to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:
• 3. "Let us renew the treaty that existed between your father and my father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."
• 4. Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent his armies to attack Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all the store cities in Naphtali.
• 5. As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah.
• 6. Then King Asa called out all the men of Judah to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the towns of Geba and Mizpah.
• 7. At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.
• 8. Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and horsemen? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them all over to you.
• 9. The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on, you will be at war."
• 10. Asa became so angry with Hanani for saying this that he threw him into prison. At that time, Asa also began to oppress some of his people.
• 11. The rest of the events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
• 12. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Even when the disease became life threatening, he did not seek the LORD's help but sought help only from his physicians.
• 13. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.
• 14. He was buried in the tomb he had carved out for himself in the City of David. He was laid on a bed perfumed with sweet spices and ointments, and at his funeral the people built a huge fire in his honor.

Revelation 5

• 1. And I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals.
• 2. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and unroll it?"
• 3. But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.
• 4. Then I wept because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll and read it.
• 5. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals."
• 6. I looked and I saw a Lamb that had been killed but was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent out into every part of the earth.
• 7. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.
• 8. And as he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense--the prayers of God's people!
• 9. And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
• 10. And you have caused them to become God's Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth."
• 11. Then I looked again, and I heard the singing of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders.
• 12. And they sang in a mighty chorus: "The Lamb is worthy--the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."
• 13. And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They also sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever."
• 14. And the four living beings said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped God and the Lamb.

Zechariah 1

• 1. In midautumn of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo.
• 2. "I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors.
• 3. Therefore, say to the people, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty.'
• 4. Do not be like your ancestors who would not listen when the earlier prophets said to them, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: Turn from your evil ways and stop all your evil practices.'
• 5. "Your ancestors and their prophets are now long dead.
• 6. But all the things I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said they would. As a result, they repented and said, `We have received what we deserved from the LORD Almighty. He has done what he said he would do.'"
• 7. Then on February 15 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. Zechariah said:
• 8. In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses, each with its own rider.
• 9. I asked the angel who was talking with me, "My lord, what are all those horses for?I will show you," the angel replied.
• 10. So the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth."
• 11. Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and the whole earth is at peace."
• 12. Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: "O LORD Almighty, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long will it be until you again show mercy to them?"
• 13. And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
• 14. Then the angel said to me, "Shout this message for all to hear: `This is what the LORD Almighty says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.
• 15. But I am very angry with the other nations that enjoy peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations punished them far beyond my intentions.
• 16. " `Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD Almighty, and plans will be made for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. '
• 17. Say this also: `This is what the LORD Almighty says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.'"
• 18. Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.
• 19. "What are these?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, "These horns represent the world powers that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
• 20. Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths.
• 21. "What are these men coming to do?" I asked. The angel replied, "The blacksmiths have come to terrify the four horns that scattered and humbled Judah. They will throw them down and destroy them."

New Living Translation: 348 of 365 days.