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January 1
January 1 Genesis 1
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n the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said, “Let there be an expanse1 in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7And God made2 the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8And God called the expanse Heaven.3 And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth,4 and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants5 yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,6 and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17And God set them
in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds7 fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make man8 in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on
1 Or a canopy; also verses 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 20 2 Or fashioned; also verse 16 3 Or Sky; also verses 9, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 30; 2:1 4 Or Land; also verses 11, 12, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 2:1 5 Or small plants; also verses 12, 29 6 Or appointed times 7 Or flying things; see Leviticus 11:19–20 8 The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind
and becomes the proper name Adam
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January 1
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the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Matthew 1
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he book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,1 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,2 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,3 and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,4 and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to
David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ5 took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed6 to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23
“ Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Ezra 1
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n the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
1 Greek Aram; also verse 4 2 Asaph is probably an alternate spelling of Asa; some manuscripts Asa; also verse 8 3 Amos is probably an alternate spelling of Amon; some manuscripts Amon; twice in this verse 4 Greek Salathiel; twice in this verse 5 Some manuscripts of the Christ 6 That is, legally pledged to be married
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3 5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
Acts 1
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n the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4And while staying1 with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with2 the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you
January 1 stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.3 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong 4 he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘ May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and
“ ‘ Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us
during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
1 Or eating 2 Or in 3 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verse 15 4 Or swelling up
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January 2
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January 2 Genesis 2
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hus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. 4 These are the generations
of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5 When no bush of the field1 was yet in the land2 and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist3 was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
16And
the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat 4 of it you shall surely die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for5 him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed6 every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam7 there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made8 into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “ This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”9 24 Therefore
a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Matthew 2
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ow after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men 10 from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose11 and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ
1 Or open country 2 Or earth; also verse 6 3 Or spring 4 Or when you eat 5 Or corresponding to; also verse 20 6 Or And out of the ground the Lord God formed 7 Or the man 8 Hebrew built 9 The Hebrew words for woman (ishshah) and man (ish) sound alike 10 Greek magi; also verses 7, 16 11 Or in the east; also verse 9
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January 2
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his 6 “ ‘ And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of mother and go to the land of Israel, for those Judah, who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21And are by no means least among the he rose and took the child and his mother and rulers of Judah; went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard for from you shall come a ruler that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men and being warned in a dream he withdrew to secretly and ascertained from them what time the district of Galilee. 23And he went and lived the star had appeared. 8And he sent them to in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoBethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently ken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he for the child, and when you have found him, would be called a Nazarene. bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9After listening to the king, they Ezra 2 went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them ow these were the people of the provuntil it came to rest over the place where the ince who came up out of the captivity of child was. 10 When they saw the star, they those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11And of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. going into the house they saw the child with They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each Mary his mother, and they fell down and wor- to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, shiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. myrrh. 12And being warned in a dream not to The number of the men of the people of return to Herod, they departed to their own Israel: 3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 4 The sons country by another way. of Shephatiah, 372. 5 The sons of Arah, 775. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an 6 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. 7 The sons of Elam, and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, 1,254. 8 The sons of Zattu, 945. 9 The sons of and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell Zaccai, 760. 10 The sons of Bani, 642. 11 The you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to sons of Bebai, 623. 12 The sons of Azgad, 1,222. destroy him.” 14And he rose and took the child 13 The sons of Adonikam, 666. 14 The sons of and his mother by night and departed to Egypt Bigvai, 2,056. 15 The sons of Adin, 454. 16 The 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 17 The This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by sons of Bezai, 323. 18 The sons of Jorah, 112. the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 19 The sons of Hashum, 223. 20 The sons of 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had Gibbar, 95. 21 The sons of Bethlehem, 123. 22 The been tricked by the wise men, became furious, men of Netophah, 56. 23 The men of Anathoth, and he sent and killed all the male children in 128. 24 The sons of Azmaveth, 42. 25 The sons Bethlehem and in all that region who were two of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. years old or under, according to the time that 26 The sons of Ramah and Geba, 621. 27 The men he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then of Michmas, 122. 28 The men of Bethel and Ai, was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet 223. 29 The sons of Nebo, 52. 30 The sons of Jeremiah: Magbish, 156. 31 The sons of the other Elam, 18 “ A voice was heard in Ramah, 1,254. 32 The sons of Harim, 320. 33 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725. 34 The sons of Jericho, weeping and loud lamentation, 345. 35 The sons of Senaah, 3,630. Rachel weeping for her children; 36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the she refused to be comforted, because house of Jeshua, 973. 37 The sons of Immer, they are no more.”
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January 2 1,052. 38 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 39 The sons of Harim, 1,017. 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, and 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 Hag abah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, 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 Ne koda, 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, and 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 Sheph atiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pocherethhazzebaim, and the sons of Ami. 58All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392. 59 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. 61Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim. 64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of
6 whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses were 736, their mules were 245, 67 their camels were 435, and their donkeys were 6,720. 68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jeru salem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics1 of gold, 5,000 minas2 of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. 70 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel3 in their towns.
Acts 2
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hen the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested4 on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians— we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.5
1 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams 2 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram 3 Hebrew all Israel 4 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested 5 That is, 9 a.m.
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January 2
this is what was uttered through the died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and prophet Joel: knowing that God had sworn with an oath to 17 “ ‘ And in the last days it shall be, God him that he would set one of his descendants declares, on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not and your sons and your daughters shall abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corprophesy, ruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that and your young men shall see visions, we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted and your old men shall dream dreams; at the right hand of God, and having received 18 even on my male servants1 and female from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, servants he has poured out this that you yourselves are in those days I will pour out my Spirit, seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend and they shall prophesy. into the heavens, but he himself says, 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above “ ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, and signs on the earth below, “ Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness footstool.” ’ and the moon to blood, 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for before the day of the Lord comes, the certain that God has made him both Lord and great and magnificent day. Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to who calls upon the name of the the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Lord shall be saved.’ apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38And 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ mighty works and wonders and signs that for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will God did through him in your midst, as you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the yourselves know— 23 this Jesus,2 delivered up promise is for you and for your children and according to the definite plan and foreknowl- for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord edge of God, you crucified and killed by the our God calls to himself.” 40And with many hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, other words he bore witness and continued to loosing the pangs of death, because it was not exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David crooked generation.” 41 So those who received says concerning him, his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. “ ‘ I saw the Lord always before me, 42And they devoted themselves to the apos for he is at my right hand that I may tles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaknot be shaken; ing of bread and the prayers. 43And awe3 came 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my upon every soul, and many wonders and signs tongue rejoiced; were being done through the apostles. 44And all my flesh also will dwell in hope. who believed were together and had all things 27 For you will not abandon my soul to in common. 45And they were selling their posHades, sessions and belongings and distributing the or let your Holy One see corruption. proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by 28 You have made known to me the paths day, attending the temple together and breakof life; ing bread in their homes, they received their you will make me full of gladness with food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praisyour presence.’ ing God and having favor with all the people. 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confi- And the Lord added to their number day by day dence about the patriarch David that he both those who were being saved. 16 But
1 Greek bondservants; twice in this verse 2 Greek this one 3 Or fear
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January 3
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January 3 Genesis 3
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ow the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You1 shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,2 she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool3 of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”4 10And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “ Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring5 and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said,
“ I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for6 your husband, and he shall rule over you.” 17And to Adam he said,
“ Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘ You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 20 The
man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.7 21And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent
1 In Hebrew you is plural in verses 1–5 2 Or to give insight 3 Hebrew wind 4 In Hebrew you is singular in verses 9 and 11 5 Hebrew seed; so throughout Genesis 6 Or against 7 Eve sounds like the Hebrew for life-giver and resembles the word for living
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January 3
him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,2 and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,3 with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3
Ezra 3
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n those days John the Baptist came preachhen the seventh month came, and the ing in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for children of Israel were in the towns, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah 2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with when he said, his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the “ The voice of one crying in the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerwilderness: ings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses 1 ‘ Prepare the way of the Lord; the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, make his paths straight.’ ” for fear was on them because of the peoples of 4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on a leather belt around his waist, and his food was it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all evening. 4And they kept the Feast of Booths, Judea and all the region about the Jordan were as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offergoing out to him, 6 and they were baptized by ings by number according to the rule, as each him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. day required, 5 and after that the regular burnt 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and offerings, the offerings at the new moon and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to at all the appointed feasts of the Lord, and them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you the offerings of everyone who made a freewill to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume the seventh month they began to offer burnt to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these temple of the Lord was not yet laid. 7 So they stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even gave money to the masons and the carpenters, now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, they had from Cyrus king of Persia. 8 Now in the second year after their coming but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the secwill baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ond month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginclear his threshing floor and gather his wheat ning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They unquenchable fire.” 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the appointed the Levites, from twenty years Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John old and upward, to supervise the work of the would have prevented him, saying, “I need to house of the Lord. 9And Jeshua with his sons be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, the sons of Judah, together supervised the for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righ- workmen in the house of God, along with the teousness.” Then he consented. 16And when sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up and brothers. 1 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness 2 Some manuscripts omit to him 3 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
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10And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
“ For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” 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 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.
Acts 3
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ow Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.1 2And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they
were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant 2 Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus3 has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
1 That is, 3 p.m. 2 Or child; also verse 26 3 Greek him
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