Daily Bible Reading Plan

• Proverbs 22 (1:49)

Proverbs 22 1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold. 2 The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all. 3 The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it. 4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse ; He who guards himself will be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. 7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave. 8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish. 9 He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor. 10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease. 11 He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend. 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man. 13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside ; I will be killed in the streets !" 14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit ; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it. 15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child ; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. 16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. 17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge ; 18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips. 19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you. 20 Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, 21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you? 22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate ; 23 For the LORD will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them. 24 Do not associate with a man given to anger ; Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself. 26 Do not be among those who give pledges , Among those who become guarantors for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you? 28 Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set. 29 Do you see a man skilled in his work ? He will stand before kings ; He will not stand before obscure men. [[slnc 10000]]

• Psalm 106 (3:03)

Psalm 106 1 Praise the LORD ! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good ; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise ? 3 How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times ! 4 Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people ; Visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance. 6 We have sinned like our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly. 7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders ; They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name, That He might make His power known. 9 Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up, And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness. 10 So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 The waters covered their adversaries ; Not one of them was left. 12 Then they believed His words ; They sang His praise. 13 They quickly forgot His works ; They did not wait for His counsel, 14 But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. 15 So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them. 16 When they became envious of Moses in the camp, And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD, 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And engulfed the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire blazed up in their company ; The flame consumed the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb And worshiped a molten image. 20 Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wonders in the land of Ham And awesome things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land ; They did not believe in His word, 25 But grumbled in their tents ; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD. 26 Therefore He swore to them That He would cast them down in the wilderness, 27 And that He would cast their seed among the nations And scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, And ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and interposed, And so the plague was stayed. 31 And it was reckoned to him for righteousness, To all generations forever . 32 They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, So that it went hard with Moses on their account ; 33 Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them, 35 But they mingled with the nations And learned their practices, 36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them. 37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, 38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan ; And the land was polluted with the blood. 39 Thus they became unclean in their practices, And played the harlot in their deeds. 40 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people And He abhorred His inheritance. 41 Then He gave them into the hand of the nations, And those who hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were subdued under their power. 43 Many times He would deliver them; They, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless He looked upon their distress When He heard their cry ; 45 And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness. 46 He also made them objects of compassion In the presence of all their captors. 47 Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks to Your holy name And glory in Your praise. 48 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the LORD ! [[slnc 10000]]

• Psalm 107 (2:41)

Psalm 107 1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary 3 And gathered from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region ; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. 5 They were hungry and thirsty ; Their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble ; He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men ! 9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. 10 There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains, 11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God And spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore He humbled their heart with labor ; They stumbled and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble ; He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death And broke their bands apart. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men ! 16 For He has shattered gates of bronze And cut bars of iron asunder. 17 Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorred all kinds of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble ; He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. 21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men ! 22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing. 23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters ; 24 They have seen the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. 25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths ; Their soul melted away in their misery. 27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, And were at their wits' end. 28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they were quiet, So He guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men ! 32 Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people, And praise Him at the seat of the elders. 33 He changes rivers into a wilderness And springs of water into a thirsty ground ; 34 A fruitful land into a salt waste, Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He changes a wilderness into a pool of water And a dry land into springs of water ; 36 And there He makes the hungry to dwell, So that they may establish an inhabited city, 37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, And gather a fruitful harvest. 38 Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly, And He does not let their cattle decrease. 39 When they are diminished and bowed down Through oppression, misery and sorrow, 40 He pours contempt upon princes And makes them wander in a pathless waste. 41 But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, And makes his families like a flock. 42 The upright see it and are glad ; But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth. 43 Who is wise ? Let him give heed to these things, And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD. [[slnc 10000]]

• Psalm 108 (0:58)

Psalm 108 1 My heart is steadfast, O God ; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul. 2 Awake, harp and lyre ; I will awaken the dawn ! 3 I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth. 6 That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and answer me! 7 God has spoken in His holiness : "I will exult, I will portion out Shechem And measure out the valley of Succoth. 8 "Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head ; Judah is My scepter. 9 "Moab is My washbowl ; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe ; Over Philistia I will shout aloud." 10 Who will bring me into the besieged city ? Who will lead me to Edom ? 11 Have not You Yourself, O God, rejected us? And will You not go forth with our armies, O God ? 12 Oh give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain. 13 Through God we will do valiantly, And it is He who shall tread down our adversaries. [[slnc 10000]]

• Psalm 109 (2:06)

Psalm 109 1 O God of my praise, Do not be silent ! 2 For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without cause. 4 In return for my love they act as my accusers ; But I am in prayer. 5 Thus they have repaid me evil for good And hatred for my love. 6 Appoint a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, And let his prayer become sin. 8 Let his days be few ; Let another take his office. 9 Let his children be fatherless And his wife a widow. 10 Let his children wander about and beg ; And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. 11 Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder the product of his labor. 12 Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. 13 Let his posterity be cut off ; In a following generation let their name be blotted out. 14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. 15 Let them be before the LORD continually, That He may cut off their memory from the earth ; 16 Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness, But persecuted the afflicted and needy man, And the despondent in heart, to put them to death. 17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him; And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. 18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, And it entered into his body like water And like oil into his bones. 19 Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself. 20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, And of those who speak evil against my soul. 21 But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name's sake ; Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me; 22 For I am afflicted and needy, And my heart is wounded within me. 23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens ; I am shaken off like the locust. 24 My knees are weak from fasting, And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness. 25 I also have become a reproach to them; When they see me, they wag their head. 26 Help me, O LORD my God ; Save me according to Your lovingkindness. 27 And let them know that this is Your hand ; You, LORD, have done it. 28 Let them curse, but You bless ; When they arise, they shall be ashamed, But Your servant shall be glad. 29 Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. 30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD ; And in the midst of many I will praise Him. 31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy, To save him from those who judge his soul. [[slnc 10000]]

• Psalm 110 (0:36)

Psalm 110 1 The LORD says to my Lord : "Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." 2 The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of Your enemies." 3 Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power ; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at Your right hand ; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. 7 He will drink from the brook by the wayside ; Therefore He will lift up His head. [[slnc 10000]]

• Lamentations 2 (3:09)

Lamentations 2 1 How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion With a cloud in His anger ! He has cast from heaven to earth The glory of Israel, And has not remembered His footstool In the day of His anger. 2 The Lord has swallowed up; He has not spared All the habitations of Jacob. In His wrath He has thrown down The strongholds of the daughter of Judah ; He has brought them down to the ground ; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes. 3 In fierce anger He has cut off All the strength of Israel ; He has drawn back His right hand From before the enemy. And He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire Consuming round about. 4 He has bent His bow like an enemy ; He has set His right hand like an adversary And slain all that were pleasant to the eye ; In the tent of the daughter of Zion He has poured out His wrath like fire. 5 The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel ; He has swallowed up all its palaces, He has destroyed its strongholds And multiplied in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning. 6 And He has violently treated His tabernacle like a garden booth; He has destroyed His appointed meeting place. The LORD has caused to be forgotten The appointed feast and sabbath in Zion, And He has despised king and priest In the indignation of His anger. 7 The Lord has rejected His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary ; He has delivered into the hand of the enemy The walls of her palaces. They have made a noise in the house of the LORD As in the day of an appointed feast. 8 The LORD determined to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line, He has not restrained His hand from destroying, And He has caused rampart and wall to lament ; They have languished together. 9 Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations ; The law is no more. Also, her prophets find No vision from the LORD. 10 The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground, they are silent. They have thrown dust on their heads ; They have girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem Have bowed their heads to the ground. 11 My eyes fail because of tears, My spirit is greatly troubled ; My heart is poured out on the earth Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, When little ones and infants faint In the streets of the city. 12 They say to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine ?" As they faint like a wounded man In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out On their mothers' bosom. 13 How shall I admonish you? To what shall I compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem ? To what shall I liken you as I comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion ? For your ruin is as vast as the sea ; Who can heal you? 14 Your prophets have seen for you False and foolish visions; And they have not exposed your iniquity So as to restore you from captivity, But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles. 15 All who pass along the way Clap their hands in derision at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem, "Is this the city of which they said, 'The perfection of beauty, A joy to all the earth '?" 16 All your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, "We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day for which we waited ; We have reached it, we have seen it." 17 The LORD has done what He purposed ; He has accomplished His word Which He commanded from days of old. He has thrown down without sparing, And He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the might of your adversaries. 18 Their heart cried out to the Lord, "O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let your tears run down like a river day and night ; Give yourself no relief, Let your eyes have no rest. 19 "Arise, cry aloud in the night At the beginning of the night watches ; Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord ; Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your little ones Who are faint because of hunger At the head of every street." 20 See, O LORD, and look ! With whom have You dealt thus ? Should women eat their offspring, The little ones who were born healthy ? Should priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord ? 21 On the ground in the streets Lie young and old ; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of Your anger, You have slaughtered, not sparing. 22 You called as in the day of an appointed feast My terrors on every side ; And there was no one who escaped or survived In the day of the LORD'S anger. Those whom I bore and reared, My enemy annihilated them. [[slnc 10000]]

• Ezra 2 (4:13)

Ezra 2 1 Now these are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city. 2 These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel : 3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172 ; 4 the sons of Shephatiah, 372 ; 5 the sons of Arah, 775 ; 6 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812 ; 7 the sons of Elam, 1,254 ; 8 the sons of Zattu, 945 ; 9 the sons of Zaccai, 760 ; 10 the sons of Bani, 642 ; 11 the sons of Bebai, 623 ; 12 the sons of Azgad, 1,222 ; 13 the sons of Adonikam, 666 ; 14 the sons of Bigvai, 2,056 ; 15 the sons of Adin, 454 ; 16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98 ; 17 the sons of Bezai, 323 ; 18 the sons of Jorah, 112 ; 19 the sons of Hashum, 223 ; 20 the sons of Gibbar, 95 ; 21 the men of Bethlehem, 123 ; 22 the men of Netophah, 56 ; 23 the men of Anathoth, 128 ; 24 the sons of Azmaveth, 42 ; 25 the sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743 ; 26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621 ; 27 the men of Michmas, 122 ; 28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223 ; 29 the sons of Nebo, 52 ; 30 the sons of Magbish, 156 ; 31 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254 ; 32 the sons of Harim, 320 ; 33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725 ; 34 the men of Jericho, 345 ; 35 the sons of Senaah, 3,630 . Priests Returning 36 The priests : the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973 ; 37 the sons of Immer, 1,052 ; 38 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247 ; 39 the sons of Harim, 1,017 . Levites Returning 40 The Levites : the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74 . 41 The singers : the sons of Asaph, 128 . 42 The sons of the gatekeepers : the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all 139 . 43 The temple servants : the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. 55 The sons of Solomon's servants : the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami. 58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392 . 59 Now these are those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan and Immer, but they were not able to give evidence of their fathers' households and their descendants, whether they were of Israel : 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652 . Priests Removed 61 Of the sons of the priests : the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name. 62 These searched among their ancestral registration , but they could not be located ; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. 63 The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim. 64 The whole assembly numbered 42,360 , 65 besides their male and female servants who numbered 7,337 ; and they had 200 singing men and women. 66 Their horses were 736 ; their mules, 245 ; 67 their camels, 435 ; their donkeys, 6,720 . 68 Some of the heads of fathers' households, when they arrived at the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to restore it on its foundation. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury for the work 61,000 gold drachmas and 5,000 silver minas and 100 priestly garments. 70 Now the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. [[slnc 10000]]

• Ezra 3 (1:52)

Ezra 3 1 Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 3 So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands ; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required ; 5 and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, but the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. 7 Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia. Temple Restoration Begun 8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of the house of the LORD. 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers stood united with Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah and the sons of Henadad with their sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the workmen in the temple of God. 10 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD according to the directions of King David of Israel. 11 They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, "For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever." And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away. [[slnc 10000]]

• Titus 3 (1:16)

Titus 3 1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement ; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. Personal Concerns 12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. [[slnc 10000]]

• Acts 9 (3:48)

Acts 9 1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord ?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing ; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias ; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." 13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem ; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel ; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized ; Saul Begins to Preach Christ 19 and he took food and was strengthened.Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests ?" 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. 23 When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death ; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples ; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. Peter's Ministry 32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas ); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died ; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there , sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us." 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room ; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. [[slnc 10000]]