Annual Bible reading

New International Version: 47 of 365 days

• Genesis 48
• 1. Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him.
• 2. When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.
• 3. Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me
• 4. and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.'
• 5. "Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
• 6. Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers.
• 7. As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).
• 8. When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, "Who are these?"
• 9. "They are the sons God has given me here," Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them."
• 10. Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
• 11. Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too."
• 12. Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.
• 13. And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him.
• 14. But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
• 15. Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
• 16. the Angel who has delivered me from all harm -may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth."
• 17. When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
• 18. Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."
• 19. But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations."
• 20. He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
• 21. Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.
• 22. And to you, as one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."
• Luke 3
• 1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar--when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene--
• 2. during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.
• 3. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
• 4. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
• 5. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
• 6. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'"
• 7. John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
• 8. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
• 9. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
• 10. "What should we do then?" the crowd asked.
• 11. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
• 12. Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
• 13. "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told
• 14. them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."
• 15. The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.
• 16. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
• 17. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
• 18. And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.
• 19. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done,
• 20. Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
• 21. When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
• 22. and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
• 23. Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
• 24. the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
• 25. the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
• 26. the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
• 27. the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
• 28. the son of Neri, the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
• 29. the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
• 30. the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
• 31. the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
• 32. the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
• 33. the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
• 34. the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
• 35. the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
• 36. the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
• 37. the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
• 38. the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
• Job 15
• 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
• 2. "Would a wise man answer with empty notions or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
• 3. Would he argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?
• 4. But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God.
• 5. Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
• 6. Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
• 7. "Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
• 8. Do you listen in on God's council? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
• 9. What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?
• 10. The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father.
• 11. Are God's consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you?
• 12. Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
• 13. so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?
• 14. "What is man, that he could be pure, or one born of woman, that he could be righteous?
• 15. If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
• 16. how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks up evil like water!
• 17. "Listen to me and I will explain to you; let me tell you what I have seen,
• 18. what wise men have declared, hiding nothing received from their fathers
• 19. (to whom alone the land was given when no alien passed among them):
• 20. All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless through all the years stored up for him.
• 21. Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him.
• 22. He despairs of escaping the darkness; he is marked for the sword.
• 23. He wanders about-food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
• 24. Distress and anguish fill him with terror; they overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
• 25. because he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
• 26. defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.
• 27. "Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,
• 28. he will inhabit ruined towns and houses where no one lives, houses crumbling to rubble.
• 29. He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.
• 30. He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away.
• 31. Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.
• 32. Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.
• 33. He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
• 34. For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
• 35. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit."

New International Version