Exodus 24

• 1. Then the LORD instructed Moses: "Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel's leaders. All of them must worship at a distance.
• 2. You alone, Moses, are allowed to come near to the LORD. The others must not come too close. And remember, none of the other people are allowed to climb on the mountain at all."
• 3. When Moses had announced to the people all the teachings and regulations the LORD had given him, they answered in unison, "We will do everything the LORD has told us to do."
• 4. Then Moses carefully wrote down all the LORD's instructions. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars around the altar, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 5. Then he sent some of the young men to sacrifice young bulls as burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.
• 6. Moses took half the blood from these animals and drew it off into basins. The other half he splashed against the altar.
• 7. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They all responded again, "We will do everything the LORD has commanded. We will obey."
• 8. Then Moses sprinkled the blood from the basins over the people and said, "This blood confirms the covenant the LORD has made with you in giving you these laws."
• 9. Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel went up the mountain.
• 10. There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a pavement of brilliant sapphire, as clear as the heavens.
• 11. And though Israel's leaders saw God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they shared a meal together in God's presence!
• 12. And the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there while I give you the tablets of stone that I have inscribed with my instructions and commands. Then you will teach the people from them."
• 13. So Moses and his assistant Joshua climbed up the mountain of God.
• 14. Moses told the other leaders, "Stay here and wait for us until we come back. If there are any problems while I am gone, consult with Aaron and Hur, who are here with you."
• 15. Then Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered it.
• 16. And the glorious presence of the LORD rested upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from the cloud.
• 17. The Israelites at the foot of the mountain saw an awesome sight. The awesome glory of the LORD on the mountaintop looked like a devouring fire.
• 18. Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

John 4

• 1. Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, "Jesus is baptizing and making more disciples than John"
• 2. (though Jesus himself didn't baptize them--his disciples did).
• 3. So he left Judea to return to Galilee.
• 4. He had to go through Samaria on the way.
• 5. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
• 6. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
• 7. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink."
• 8. He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
• 9. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"
• 10. Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."
• 11. "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water?
• 12. And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?"
• 13. Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water.
• 14. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."
• 15. "Please, sir," the woman said, "give me some of that water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to haul water."
• 16. "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her.
• 17. "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband--
• 18. for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now."
• 19. "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet.
• 20. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?"
• 21. Jesus replied, "Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem.
• 22. You Samaritans know so little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.
• 23. But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.
• 24. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
• 25. The woman said, "I know the Messiah will come--the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
• 26. Then Jesus told her, "I am the Messiah!"
• 27. Just then his disciples arrived. They were astonished to find him talking to a woman, but none of them asked him why he was doing it or what they had been discussing.
• 28. The woman left her water jar beside the well and went back to the village and told everyone,
• 29. "Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?"
• 30. So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
• 31. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus to eat.
• 32. "No," he said, "I have food you don't know about."
• 33. "Who brought it to him?" the disciples asked each other.
• 34. Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
• 35. Do you think the work of harvesting will not begin until the summer ends four months from now? Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for the harvest.
• 36. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!
• 37. You know the saying, 'One person plants and someone else harvests.' And it's true.
• 38. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest."
• 39. Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!"
• 40. When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days,
• 41. long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe.
• 42. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world."
• 43. At the end of the two days' stay, Jesus went on into Galilee.
• 44. He had previously said, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country."
• 45. The Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen all his miraculous signs.
• 46. In the course of his journey through Galilee, he arrived at the town of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in the city of Capernaum whose son was very sick.
• 47. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was traveling in Galilee, he went over to Cana. He found Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum with him to heal his son, who was about to die.
• 48. Jesus asked, "Must I do miraculous signs and wonders before you people will believe in me?"
• 49. The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."
• 50. Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed Jesus' word and started home.
• 51. While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.
• 52. He asked them when the boy had begun to feel better, and they replied, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!"
• 53. Then the father realized it was the same time that Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And the officer and his entire household believed in Jesus.
• 54. This was Jesus' second miraculous sign in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Proverbs 1

• 1. These are the proverbs of Solomon, David's son, king of Israel.
• 2. The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings.
• 3. Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair.
• 4. These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people.
• 5. Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance
• 6. by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.
• 7. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.
• 8. Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don't neglect your mother's teaching.
• 9. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and clothe you with honor.
• 10. My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!
• 11. They may say, "Come and join us. Let's hide and kill someone! Let's ambush the innocent!
• 12. Let's swallow them alive as the grave swallows its victims. Though they are in the prime of life, they will go down into the pit of death.
• 13. And the loot we'll get! We'll fill our houses with all kinds of things!
• 14. Come on, throw in your lot with us; we'll split our loot with you."
• 15. Don't go along with them, my child! Stay far away from their paths.
• 16. They rush to commit crimes. They hurry to commit murder.
• 17. When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away.
• 18. But not these people! They set an ambush for themselves; they booby-trap their own lives!
• 19. Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life.
• 20. Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square.
• 21. She calls out to the crowds along the main street, and to those in front of city hall.
• 22. "You simpletons!" she cries. "How long will you go on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools fight the facts?
• 23. Come here and listen to me! I'll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise.
• 24. "I called you so often, but you didn't come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
• 25. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered.
• 26. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you--
• 27. when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you.
• 28. "I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
• 29. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
• 30. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them.
• 31. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen.
• 32. For they are simpletons who turn away from me--to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them.
• 33. But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm."

New Living Translation: 73 of 365 days.