Exodus 15

• 1. Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea.
• 2. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. He is my God, and I will praise him; he is my father's God, and I will exalt him!
• 3. The LORD is a warrior; yes, the LORD is his name!
• 4. Pharaoh's chariots and armies, he has thrown into the sea. The very best of Pharaoh's officers have been drowned in the Red Sea.
• 5. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone.
• 6. "Your right hand, O LORD, is glorious in power. Your right hand, O LORD, dashes the enemy to pieces.
• 7. In the greatness of your majesty, you overthrew those who rose against you. Your anger flashed forth; it consumed them as fire burns straw.
• 8. At the blast of your breath, the waters piled up! The surging waters stood straight like a wall; in the middle of the sea the waters became hard.
• 9. "The enemy said, `I will chase them, catch up with them, and destroy them. I will divide the plunder, avenging myself against them. I will unsheath my sword; my power will destroy them.'
• 10. But with a blast of your breath, the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
• 11. "Who else among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is glorious in holiness like you--so awesome in splendor, performing such wonders?
• 12. You raised up your hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies.
• 13. "With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells.
• 14. The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
• 15. The leaders of Edom will be terrified; the nobles of Moab will tremble. All the people of Canaan will melt with fear;
• 16. terror and dread will overcome them. Because of your great power, they will be silent like a stone, until your people pass by, O LORD, until the people whom you purchased pass by.
• 17. You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain--the place you have made as your home, O LORD, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have made.
• 18. The LORD will reign forever and ever!"
• 19. When Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the LORD brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through on dry land!
• 20. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine and led all the women in rhythm and dance.
• 21. And Miriam sang this song: "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea."
• 22. Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the Shur Desert. They traveled in this desert for three days without water.
• 23. When they came to Marah, they finally found water. But the people couldn't drink it because it was bitter. (That is why the place was called Marah, which means "bitter.")
• 24. Then the people turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded.
• 25. So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a branch. Moses took the branch and threw it into the water. This made the water good to drink. It was there at Marah that the LORD laid before them the following conditions to test their faithfulness to him:
• 26. "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and laws, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you."
• 27. After leaving Marah, they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the springs.

Luke 19

• 1. Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.
• 2. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich.
• 3. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds.
• 4. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.
• 5. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today."
• 6. Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
• 7. But the crowds were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.
• 8. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"
• 9. Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham.
• 10. And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."
• 11. The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.
• 12. He said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.
• 13. Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone.
• 14. But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say they did not want him to be their king.
• 15. "When he returned, the king called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what they had done with the money and what their profits were.
• 16. The first servant reported a tremendous gain--ten times as much as the original amount!
• 17. 'Well done!' the king exclaimed. 'You are a trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'
• 18. "The next servant also reported a good gain--five times the original amount.
• 19. 'Well done!' the king said. 'You can be governor over five cities.'
• 20. "But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, 'I hid it and kept it safe.
• 21. I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'
• 22. "'You wicked servant!' the king roared. 'Hard, am I? If you knew so much about me and how tough I am,
• 23. why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?'
• 24. Then turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who earned the most.'
• 25. "'But, master,' they said, 'that servant has enough already!'
• 26. "'Yes,' the king replied, 'but to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away.
• 27. And now about these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king--bring them in and execute them right here in my presence.'"
• 28. After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.
• 29. As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead.
• 30. "Go into that village over there," he told them, "and as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
• 31. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, 'The Lord needs it.'"
• 32. So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.
• 33. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, "Why are you untying our colt?"
• 34. And the disciples simply replied, "The Lord needs it."
• 35. So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
• 36. Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus.
• 37. As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
• 38. "Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!"
• 39. But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, "Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!"
• 40. He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"
• 41. But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry.
• 42. "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.
• 43. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you.
• 44. They will crush you to the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you have rejected the opportunity God offered you."
• 45. Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants from their stalls.
• 46. He told them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."
• 47. After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.
• 48. But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Job 34

• 1. Then Elihu said:
• 2. "Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge.
• 3. `Just as the mouth tastes good food, the ear tests the words it hears.'
• 4. So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
• 5. For Job has said, `I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights.
• 6. I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, even though I have not sinned.'
• 7. "Has there ever been a man as arrogant as Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk?
• 8. He seeks the companionship of evil people. He spends his time with wicked men.
• 9. He has even said, `Why waste time trying to please God?'
• 10. "Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn't sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.
• 11. He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people according to their ways.
• 12. There is no truer statement than this: God will not do wrong. The Almighty cannot twist justice.
• 13. Who put the world in his care? Who has set the whole world in place?
• 14. If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath,
• 15. all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.
• 16. "Listen now and try to understand.
• 17. Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty Judge?
• 18. For he says to kings and nobles, `You are wicked and unjust.'
• 19. He doesn't care how great a person may be, and he doesn't pay any more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all.
• 20. In a moment they die. At midnight they all pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
• 21. "For God carefully watches the way people live; he sees everything they do.
• 22. No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes.
• 23. For it is not up to mortals to decide when to come before God in judgment.
• 24. He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their places.
• 25. He watches what they do, and in the night he overturns them, destroying them.
• 26. He openly strikes them down for their wickedness.
• 27. For they turned aside from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways.
• 28. So they cause the poor to cry out, catching God's attention. Yes, he hears the cries of the needy.
• 29. When he is quiet, who can make trouble? But when he hides his face, who can find him?
• 30. He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people.
• 31. "Why don't people say to God, `I have sinned, but I will sin no more'?
• 32. Or `I don't know what evil I have done; tell me, and I will stop at once'?
• 33. "Must God tailor his justice to your demands? But you have rejected him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.
• 34. After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say,
• 35. `Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.'
• 36. Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked.
• 37. For now you have added rebellion and blasphemy against God to your other sins."

New Living Translation: 64 of 365 days.