Reading through the Bible in One Year – Join us for the Journey
3 Maccabees 6, 7 1 Now there was a certain man, Eleazar, famous among the priests of the land, who reached the prime of his life in old age and adorned his life with every virtue. He directed the elders around him to call on the holy God, and he prayed as follows: 2 “O …
Continue reading "Day 212 – 3 Maccabees 6, 7; Psalm 30:15–25; Proverbs 6:13–16; Romans 2"
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For …
3 Maccabees 5 1 Then the king, filled with wrath and anger and inflexible in every respect, summoned Hermon, the keeper of the elephants. 2 On the following day, he ordered that he take all the elephants—five hundred in number—and get them drunk with plenty of unmingled wine and abundant handfuls of frankincense. Then after …
Continue reading "Day 211 – 3 Maccabees 5; Psalm 30:1–14; Proverbs 6:7–12; Romans 1"
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. …
3 Maccabees 3, 4 1 When the ungodly king heard this, he reached such a point of rage that he was angry not only at the Jews of Alexandria, but even more so against those in the countryside. So he commanded that they all be brought together in one place and put to death by …
Continue reading "Day 210 – 3 Maccabees 3, 4; Psalm 29; Proverbs 6:1–6; Acts 28"
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them …
3 Maccabees 1, 2 1 When Philopator heard from those who returned that the regions he ruled had been captured by Antiochus, he issued orders to all his infantry and cavalry forces, took his sister Arsinoe along with him, and set out toward the area near Raphia, where the forces of Antiochus were positioned. 2 …
Continue reading "Day 209 – 3 Maccabees 1, 2; Psalm 28; Proverbs 5:20–23; Acts 27:21–44"
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at My right hand,Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? 45 If …
2 Maccabees 14:18-15:39 18 Nevertheless, when Nicanor heard of the bravery of Judas and his men and their courage in battle for their country, he pulled back from deciding the matter by bloodshed. 19 So he sent forth Posidonius, Theodotus, and Mattathias to offer and receive pledges of friendship. 20 After an extensive investigation of …
Continue reading "Day 208 – 2 Maccabees 14:18-15:39; Psalm 27; Proverbs 5:15–19; Acts 27:1–20"
34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like …
2 Maccabees 12:17-14:17 17 From there, they went ninety-five miles and continued on to Charax, to the Jews who were called Toubiani. 18 They did not overtake Timothy in that region, for by then he had departed from there without accomplishing anything; but in one place Timothy left a very strong garrison. 19 Dositheus and …
Continue reading "Day 207 – 2 Maccabees 12:17-14:17; Psalm 26; Proverbs 5:7–14; Acts 26"
23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no …
2 Maccabees 10:24-12:16 24 Now Timothy, who had been defeated previously by the Jews, gathered a very massive and powerful force of mercenaries and assembled cavalry from Asia in no small number. Then he arrived as though he would take Judea captive. 25 As he drew near, Maccabeus and his men made supplication to God …
Continue reading "Day 206 – 2 Maccabees 10:24-12:16; Psalm 25; Proverbs 5:1–6; Acts 25"
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You …
2 Maccabees 8:21-10:23 21 With these words he gave them good courage and prepared them to die on behalf of their laws and their homeland. Then he divided his forces into four parts. 22 He appointed his brothers, Simon and Joseph and Jonathan, each to command a division, putting fifteen hundred soldiers under each. 23 …
Continue reading "Day 205 – 2 Maccabees 8:21-10:23; Psalm 24:12–22; Proverbs 4:24–28; Acts 24"
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who …
2 Maccabees 7:1-8:20 1 It came about also that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and forced by the king to be bound and tortured with whips and cords until they partook of the unlawful swine’s flesh. 2 One of them, acting as spokesman, said, “What do you intend to ask and learn from …
Continue reading "Day 204 – 2 Maccabees 7:1-8:20; Psalm 24:1–11; Proverbs 4:19–23; Acts 23:12–35"
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the …
2 Maccabees 4:30-6:31 30 While these things were taking place, it came about that the cities of Tarsus and Mallus revolted because they were given as a gift to Antiochis, the king’s concubine. 31 So the king went quickly to put down the rebellion. He left Andronicus, a man highly regarded, to act as his …
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not …
2 Maccabees 3:1-4:29 1 When the holy city was inhabited in complete peace, because the laws were very well observed on account of the godliness of the high priest Onias and his hatred of wickedness, 2 it happened that the kings themselves honored the place and glorified the temple with very magnificent gifts. 3 Even …
Continue reading "Day 202 – 2 Maccabees 3:1-4:29; Psalm 21:20–32; Proverbs 4:9–12; Acts 22:1–29"
23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” 24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, …
2 Maccabees 1, 2 1 “The Jewish brothers in Jerusalem and the land of Judea, to their Jewish brothers in Egypt: Greetings and good peace.2 “May God do good to you, and may He remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, His faithful servants. 3 May He give all of you a heart to …
Continue reading "Day 201 – 2 Maccabees 1, 2; Psalm 21:1–19; Proverbs 4:1–8; Acts 21:17–40"
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How …
1 Maccabees 14:25-16:24 25 The people heard these words and they said, “How can we show our gratitude to Simon and his sons? 26 For he, his brothers, and his father’s house stood strong and waged war with the enemies of Israel by themselves, and secured her freedom.” So they wrote these words on bronze …
Continue reading "Day 200 – 1 Maccabees 14:25-16:24; Psalms 20; Proverbs 3:33–38; Acts 21:1–16"
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of …
1 Maccabees 13:12-14:24 12 Meanwhile, Trypho left from Ptolemais with a large force to come into the land of Judah. Jonathan accompanied him under guard. 13 Now Simon set up camp in Adida, opposite the plain. 14 When Trypho heard that Simon had risen up in place of his brother Jonathan and was about to …
Continue reading "Day 199 – 1 Maccabees 13:12-14:24; Psalms 19; Proverbs 3:28–32; Acts 20:17–38"
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ …
1 Maccabees 11:54-13:11 54 Later, Trypho returned and had with him the young boy Antiochus, who put on the crown and became king. 55 All the troops who had cursed Demetrius gathered around him. They fought against Demetrius, who was put to flight. 56 Trypho then captured the elephants and gained control of Antioch. 57 …
Continue reading "Day 198 – 1 Maccabees 11:54-13:11; Psalms 18; Proverbs 3:23–27; Acts 20:1–16"
29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, …
1 Maccabees 10:59-11:53 59 Then King Alexander wrote for Jonathan to meet him. 60 So he journeyed with splendor to Ptolemais and there met the two monarchs. He offered them silver and gold, and gave their friends numerous gifts. Thus he found favor with them.61 Then some troublemakers from Israel, lawless men, also gathered against …
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered …
1 Maccabees 9:54-10:58 54 Then in the one hundred fifty-third year, in the second month, Alcimus issued the command to take down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. Then he took down the work of the prophets and started to destroy it. 55 At that instant, Alcimus was stricken, his mischief was …
Continue reading "Day 196 – 1 Maccabees 9:54-10:58; Psalm 17:18–32; Proverbs 3:11–16; Acts 19:1–22"
17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “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, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge …
1 Maccabees 8:1-9:53 1 Then Judas learned of the reputation of the Romans, that they were mighty and behaved well toward all who made a pact with them. They could ensure friendship with as many as came to them, indeed, because they were of great strength. 2 People also told him of their warfare and …
Continue reading "Day 195 – 1 Maccabees 8:1-9:53; Psalm 17:1–17; Proverbs 3:6–10; Acts 18"
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and …
1 Maccabees 6:18-7:50 18 Now men from the citadel were confining Israel to the area around the sanctuary. They were attempting by whatever means to injure them, and to bring strength to the Gentiles. 19 So he gathered all the men to defeat them. 20 They assembled the army and attacked the city in the …
Continue reading "Day 194 – 1 Maccabees 6:18-7:50; Psalm 16; Proverbs 3:1–5; Acts 17:16–34"
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When His …
1 Maccabees 5:1-6:17 1 When the surrounding nations heard the altar was repaired and the sanctuary renewed as before, they were extremely angry. 2 So they resolved to kill the race of Jacob who lived among them, and they began to kill and destroy the people. 3 Thus Judas waged war on the sons of …
Continue reading "Day 193 – 1 Maccabees 5:1-6:17; Psalms 14, 15; Proverbs 2:17–23; Acts 17:1–15"
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ …
1 Maccabees 3:42-4:61 If You will not help us?”54 Then they blew the trumpets and cried out with a loud shout. 55 After this, Judas appointed rulers for the people, leaders for thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. 56 He ordered those who were building houses, or were betrothed to women, or were growing …
Continue reading "Day 192 – 1 Maccabees 3:42-4:61; Psalms 12, 13; Proverbs 2:10–16; Acts 16:16–40"
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.
1 Maccabees 2:15-3:41 Apostasy at Modein15 Now those from the king who were enforcing the apostasy journeyed to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice, 16 and many from Israel also came with them. So Mattathias and his sons gathered together. 17 Then those from the king spoke to Mattathias, saying, “You are …
Continue reading "Day 191 – 1 Maccabees 2:15-3:41; Psalms 10, 11; Proverbs 2:6–9; Acts 16:1–15"
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. 3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any …
1 Maccabees 1:1-2:14 1 After Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, came out of the land of Kittim and conquered Macedonia, and defeated Darius the king of the Persians and the Medes, and reigned in his place—he was already king of Greece— 2 he then fought numerous wars, conquered fortresses, and slaughtered the kings …
Continue reading "Day 190 – 1 Maccabees 1:1-2:14; Psalm 9:18–39; Proverbs 2:1–5; Acts 15:22–41"
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts …
Esther 8:12a-10:3k 12a The following is a copy of the letter: 12b The great King Artaxerxes, to the governors of the provinces in the hundred twenty-seven satrapies, from India to Ethiopia, and to the faithful to our interests: Greetings! 12c Many of those who have been frequently honored in the great kindness of their benefactors …
Continue reading "Day 189 – Esther 8:12a-10:3k; Psalm 9:1–17; Proverbs 1:30–35; Acts 15:1–21"
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear …
Esther 5:1-8:12 1 And it happened on the third day, when she ceased praying, she took off the garments of the solemnity, and put on her glorious apparel. 2 And having become resplendent, appealing to the all-seeing God and Savior, she took with her two of her favorite maids. Upon the one she leaned as …
Continue reading "Day 188 – Esther 5:1-8:12; Psalm 8; Proverbs 1:25–29; Acts 14"
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one …
Esther 3, 4 1 After these things King Artaxerxes honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and elevated him and set his seat above all his friends. 2 All those in the court bowed to him, for thus the king commanded, but Mordecai refused to bow to him. 3 Then those in the court …
Continue reading "Day 187 – Esther 3, 4; Psalm 7; Proverbs 1:20–24; Acts 13:26–52"
6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! …
Esther 1, 2 Introduction: Mordecai’s Prophetic Dream 1a In the second year of the reign of the great King Artaxerxes, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. 1b He was a Jewish man living in the …
Continue reading "Day 186 – Esther 1, 2; Psalm 6; Proverbs 1:16–19; Acts 13:1–25"
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever …
Judith 14-16 1 Then Judith said to them, “Hear me, my friends; take this head and hang it at the top of the city wall at daybreak. 2 Then when the sun comes up on the horizon, let every able-bodied man take up his weapons and appoint a captain over them. March out of the …
Continue reading "Day 185 – Judith 14-16; Psalm 5; Proverbs 1:11–15; Acts 12"
24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or …
Judith 11-13 1 Then Holofernes spoke to her, saying, “Woman, take courage; do not be fearful in your heart. I have never hurt anyone who chooses to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of the whole earth. 2 Even now, if your people inhabiting the hill country had not held me in such low regard, I would not …
Continue reading "Day 184 – Judith 11-13; Psalms 3, 4; Proverbs 1:6–10; Acts 11"
22 Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
Judith 8-10 1 In those days, Judith got word of this matter. She was the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elkiah, the son of Ananias, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Ahitub, the son of Elijah, the …
Continue reading "Day 183 – Judith 8-10; Psalms 1, 2; Proverbs 1:1–5; Acts 10:24–48"
14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” …
Judith 5-7 1 It was told to Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army, that the Israelites were prepared for war and had blocked the passes in the mountains, fortified all the hilltops, and placed barricades in the plains. 2 He was very angry, and he called all the princes of Moab and the captains …
Continue reading "Day 182 – Judith 5-7; Psalms 150, 151; Proverbs 31:26–30; Acts 10:1–23"
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to …