Genesis 48

• 1. One day not long after this, word came to Joseph that his father was failing rapidly. So Joseph went to visit him, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
• 2. When Jacob heard that Joseph had arrived, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed to greet him.
• 3. Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.
• 4. He said to me, `I will make you a multitude of nations, and I will give this land of Canaan to you and your descendants as an everlasting possession.'
• 5. Now I am adopting as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will inherit from me just as Reuben and Simeon will.
• 6. But the children born to you in the future will be your own. The land they inherit will be within the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.
• 7. As I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, just a short distance from Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath."
• 8. Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. "Are these your sons?" he asked.
• 9. "Yes," Joseph told him, "these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt." And Jacob said, "Bring them over to me, and I will bless them."
• 10. Now Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them.
• 11. Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see you again, but now God has let me see your children, too."
• 12. Joseph took the boys from their grandfather's knees, and he bowed low to him.
• 13. Then he positioned the boys so Ephraim was at Jacob's left hand and Manasseh was at his right hand.
• 14. But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys' heads. So his right hand was on the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left hand was on the head of Manasseh, the older.
• 15. Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May God, the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life,
• 16. and the angel who has kept me from all harm--may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac. And may they become a mighty nation."
• 17. But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head. So he lifted it to place it on Manasseh's head instead.
• 18. "No, Father," he said, "this one over here is older. Put your right hand on his head."
• 19. But his father refused. "I know what I'm doing, my son," he said. "Manasseh, too, will become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. His descendants will become a multitude of nations!"
• 20. So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: "The people of Israel will use your names to bless each other. They will say, `May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.'" In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
• 21. Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to Canaan, the land of your ancestors.
• 22. And I give you an extra portion beyond what I have given your brothers--the portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow."

Luke 3

• 1. It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.
• 2. Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living out in the wilderness.
• 3. Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
• 4. Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!
• 5. Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills! Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places!
• 6. And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.'"
• 7. Here is a sample of John's preaching to the crowds that came for baptism: "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God's coming judgment?
• 8. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. Don't just say, 'We're safe--we're the descendants of Abraham.' That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into children of Abraham.
• 9. Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."
• 10. The crowd asked, "What should we do?"
• 11. John replied, "If you have two coats, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
• 12. Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
• 13. "Show your honesty," he replied. "Make sure you collect no more taxes than the Roman government requires you to."
• 14. "What should we do?" asked some soldiers. John replied, "Don't extort money, and don't accuse people of things you know they didn't do. And be content with your pay."
• 15. Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.
• 16. John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am--so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
• 17. He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."
• 18. John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
• 19. John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, and for many other wrongs he had done.
• 20. So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.
• 21. One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
• 22. and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you. "
• 23. Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.
• 24. Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.
• 25. Joseph was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Amos. Amos was the son of Nahum. Nahum was the son of Esli. Esli was the son of Naggai.
• 26. Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein. Semein was the son of Josech. Josech was the son of Joda.
• 27. Joda was the son of Joanan. Joanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the son of Neri.
• 28. Neri was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er.
• 29. Er was the son of Joshua. Joshua was the son of Eliezer. Eliezer was the son of Jorim. Jorim was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi.
• 30. Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Jonam. Jonam was the son of Eliakim.
• 31. Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.
• 32. David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
• 33. Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Admin. Admin was the son of Arni. Arni was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of Judah.
• 34. Judah was the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was the son of Terah. Terah was the son of Nahor.
• 35. Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.
• 36. Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah. Noah was the son of Lamech.
• 37. Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalalel. Mahalalel was the son of Kenan.
• 38. Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.

Job 15

• 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
• 2. "You are supposed to be a wise man, and yet you give us all this foolish talk. You are nothing but a windbag.
• 3. It isn't right to speak so foolishly. What good do such words do?
• 4. Have you no fear of God, no reverence for him?
• 5. Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Your words are based on clever deception.
• 6. But why should I condemn you? Your own mouth does!
• 7. "Were you the first person ever born? Were you born before the hills were made?
• 8. Were you listening at God's secret council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
• 9. What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
• 10. On our side are aged, gray-haired men much older than your father!
• 11. "Is God's comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough?
• 12. What has captured your reason? What has weakened your vision,
• 13. that you turn against God and say all these evil things?
• 14. Can a mortal be pure? Can a human be just?
• 15. Why, God doesn't even trust the angels! Even the heavens cannot be absolutely pure in his sight.
• 16. How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!
• 17. "If you will listen, I will answer you from my own experience.
• 18. And it is confirmed by the experience of wise men who have heard the same thing from their fathers,
• 19. those to whom the land was given long before any foreigners arrived.
• 20. "Wicked people are in pain throughout their lives.
• 21. They are surrounded by terrors, and even on good days they fear the attack of the destroyer.
• 22. They dare not go out into the darkness for fear they will be murdered.
• 23. They wander abroad for bread, saying, `Where is it?' They know their ruin is certain.
• 24. That dark day terrifies them. They live in distress and anguish, like a king preparing for an attack.
• 25. For they have clenched their fists against God, defying the Almighty.
• 26. Holding their strong shields, they defiantly charge against him.
• 27. "These wicked people are fat and rich,
• 28. but their cities will be ruined. They will live in abandoned houses that are ready to tumble down.
• 29. They will not continue to be rich. Their wealth will not endure, and their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.
• 30. "They will not escape the darkness. The flame will burn them up, and the breath of God will destroy everything they have.
• 31. Let them no longer trust in empty riches. They are only fooling themselves, for emptiness will be their only reward.
• 32. They will be cut down in the prime of life, and all they counted on will disappear.
• 33. They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested before they are ripe, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms so the fruit cannot form.
• 34. For the godless are barren. Their homes, enriched through bribery, will be consumed by fire.
• 35. They conceive trouble and evil, and their hearts give birth only to deceit."

New Living Translation: 47 of 365 days.