Exodus 18
Jethro’s Visit and Counsel
1 Now Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all God did for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he sent her back
3 with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land”)†
4 and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father is my help, and He rescued me from the hand of Pharaoh”);
5 and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the desert, where he encamped at the mountain of God.
6 Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and two sons with her.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. Thus they greeted one another, and he brought them into the tent.
8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to all the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them out of the hand of Pharaoh and from the hand of the Egyptians.
9 Then Jethro was amazed at all the good things the Lord had done for Israel, whom He delivered out of the hand of Pharaoh and from the hand of the Egyptians.
10 Then Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who delivered you out of the hand of Pharaoh and from the hand of the Egyptians.
11 Now I know the Lord is great above all the gods; for this reason they did not prevail over them.”
12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for God, for Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 So it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.
14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”†
15 Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek judgment from God.
16 When they have a dispute, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the ordinances of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not good.
18 Both you and these people with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.
19 “Now listen to me; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people that you may bring their concerns to God.
20 Teach them God’s ordinances and laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the works they are to do.
21 Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men such as fear God, just men, hating covetousness; and set them over the people to be rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
22 Let them judge the people at all times. Then every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will relieve and help you.
23 If you do this thing, God will strengthen you; then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all he said.
25 Thus Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
26 They judged the people at all times; all the hard cases they brought to Moses, but the small ones they judged themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he returned to his own land.
Psalms 59
1 For the End; for things yet to be changed; for a pillar inscription; by David; for teaching, †
2 when he burned Mesopotamia of Syria, and Syrian Soba, and Joab returned and struck twelve thousand in the Valley of Salt.
3 O God, You drove us off and destroyed us; You were angry, and had mercy on us.
4 You made the earth quake, and You troubled it; Repair its ruins, for it was shaken.
5 You showed Your people difficult things; You made us drink the wine of bewilderment.
6 You gave a sign to those who fear You, So they may flee from the face of the bow. (Pause)
7 That Your beloved may be rescued, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
8 God spoke in His holy place: I will greatly rejoice, and divide Shechem, And I will measure out the valley of the tabernacles.
9 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, And Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my king.
10 Moab is the cauldron of my hope; Over Edom I will extend my shoe; Foreign tribes were subjected to me.
11 Who will bring me into a fortified city? Who will lead me as far as Edom?
12 Will not You, O God, who drove us away? And will not You, O God, go out with our armies?
13 Give us help from affliction, For the salvation of man is useless.
14 But in God we shall work power, And He will utterly scorn those who afflict us.
Proverbs of Solomon 12
11 He who works his own land will be satisfied with bread, But those who pursue vain things are in need of discernment.
12 He who is gladdened by wines in passing his time Shall leave dishonor in his own strongholds.
13 The desires of the ungodly are evil, But the roots of the godly are in strongholds.†
14 By the sin of his lips a sinner falls into snares, But a righteous man escapes from them.
15 He whose looks are gentle will show mercy, But he who contends in the gates will afflict souls.†
Mark 10
Jesus’ Third Prophecy of His Passion
32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:†
33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;
34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
True Greatness in Serving
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”†
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;
40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.
42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.Ӡ
The Blind Man Believes
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.†
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.