Bible Reading
April 18
The World English Bible
Apr.
18
Numbers
27, 28
Num
27:1 Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher,
the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the
families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of
his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
Num
27:2 They stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and
before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent
of Meeting, saying,
Num
27:3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the
company of those who gathered themselves together against Yahweh in
the company of Korah: but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.
Num
27:4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his
family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the
brothers of our father.
Num
27:5 Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.
Num
27:6 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Num
27:7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: you shall surely give
them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers;
and you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.
Num
27:8 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, If a man
die, and have no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to
his daughter.
Num
27:9 If he have no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to
his brothers.
Num
27:10 If he have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to
his father's brothers.
Num
27:11 If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his
inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he
shall possess it: and it shall be to the children of Israel a statute
and
ordinance, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Num
27:12 Yahweh said to Moses, Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and
see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.
Num
27:13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your
people, as Aaron your brother was gathered;
Num
27:14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin,
in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters
before their eyes. (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the
wilderness of Zin.)
Num
27:15 Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,
Num
27:16 Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man
over the congregation,
Num
27:17 who may go out before them, and who may come in before them,
and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the
congregation of Yahweh not be as sheep which have no shepherd.
Num
27:18 Yahweh said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in
whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;
Num
27:19 and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the
congregation; and commission him in their sight.
Num
27:20 You shall put of your honor on him, that all the congregation
of the children of Israel may obey.
Num
27:21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire
for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh: at his word shall
they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the
children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
Num
27:22 Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and he took Joshua, and set
him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
Num
27:23 and he laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as Yahweh
spoke by Moses.
Num
28:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Num
28:2 Command the children of Israel, and tell them, My offering, my
food for my offerings made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to me, you
shall observe to offer to me in their due season.
Num
28:3 You shall tell them, This is the offering made by fire which
you shall offer to Yahweh: male lambs a year old without blemish, two
day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
Num
28:4 You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and you shall
offer the other lamb at evening;
Num
28:5 with the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal
offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil.
Num
28:6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount
Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Num
28:7 Its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for the
one lamb. You shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to
Yahweh in the holy place.
Num
28:8 The other lamb you shall offer at evening: as the meal offering
of the morning, and as the drink offering of it, you shall offer it,
an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Num
28:9 On the Sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish,
and two tenth parts of an ephah
of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and the drink
offering of it:
Num
28:10 this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the
continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it.
Num
28:11 In the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt
offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, seven male lambs a
year old without blemish;
Num
28:12 and three tenth parts of an ephah
of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and
two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil,
for the one ram;
Num
28:13 and a tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal
offering to every lamb; for a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an
offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Num
28:14 Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull,
and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin
for a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the
months of the year.
Num
28:15 One male goat for a sin offering to Yahweh; it shall be
offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering
of it.
Num
28:16 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is
Yahweh's Passover.
Num
28:17 On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast: seven
days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
Num
28:18 In the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no
servile work;
Num
28:19 but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering
to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, and seven male lambs a year
old; they shall be to you without blemish;
Num
28:20 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil: you shall
offer three tenth parts for a bull, and two tenth parts for the ram.
Num
28:21 You shall offer a tenth part for every lamb of the seven
lambs;
Num
28:22 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for
you.
Num
28:23 You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the
morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
Num
28:24 After this manner you shall offer daily, for seven days, the
food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: it
shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink
offering of it.
Num
28:25 On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation: you
shall do no servile work.
Num
28:26 Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal
offering to Yahweh in your feast of
weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile
work;
Num
28:27 but you shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to
Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;
Num
28:28 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three
tenth parts for each bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
Num
28:29 a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
Num
28:30 one male goat, to make atonement for you.
Num
28:31 Besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of
it, you shall offer them (they shall be to you without blemish), and
their drink offerings.
Apr. 18, 19
Luke 11
Luk 11:1 It happened,
that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his
disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John
also taught his disciples."
Luk 11:2 He said to
them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father in heaven, may your name
be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on Earth,
as it is in heaven.
Luk 11:3 Give us day by
day our daily bread.
Luk 11:4 Forgive us our
sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' "
Luk 11:5 He said to
them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell
him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
Luk 11:6 for a friend
of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set
before him,'
Luk 11:7 and he from
within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut,
and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to
you'?
Luk 11:8 I tell you,
although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his
friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him
as many as he needs.
Luk 11:9 "I tell
you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you
will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.
Luk 11:10 For everyone
who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be
opened.
Luk 11:11 "Which
of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or
if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish,
will he?
Luk 11:12 Or if he asks
for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he?
Luk 11:13 If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
him?"
Luk 11:14 He was
casting out a demon, and it was mute. It happened, when the demon had
gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.
Luk 11:15 But some of
them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the
demons."
Luk 11:16 Others,
testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.
Luk 11:17 But he,
knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against
itself falls.
Luk 11:18 If Satan also
is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say
that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Luk 11:19 But if I cast
out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out?
Therefore will they be your judges.
Luk 11:20 But if I by
the finger of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come
to you.
Luk 11:21 "When
the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are
safe.
Luk 11:22 But when
someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his
whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.
Luk 11:23 "He that
is not with me is against me. He who doesn't gather with me scatters.
Luk 11:24 The unclean
spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places,
seeking rest, and finding none, he says, 'I will turn back to my
house from which I came out.'
Luk 11:25 When he
returns, he finds it swept and put in order.
Luk 11:26 Then he goes,
and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter
in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the
first."
Luk 11:27 It came to
pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude
lifted up her voice, and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that
bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!"
Luk 11:28 But he said,
"On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God,
and keep it."
Luk 11:29 When the
multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, "This
is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given
to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.
Luk 11:30 For even as
Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be
to this generation.
Luk 11:31 The Queen of
the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this
generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than
Solomon is here.
Luk 11:32 The men of
Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will
condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold,
one greater than Jonah is here.
Luk 11:33 "No one,
when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on
a stand, that those who come in may see the light.
Luk 11:34 The lamp of
the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body
is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of
darkness.
Luk 11:35 Therefore see
whether the light that is in you isn't darkness.
Luk 11:36 If therefore
your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be
wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives
you light."
Luk 11:37 Now as he
spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and
sat at the table.
Luk 11:38 When the
Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself
before dinner.
Luk 11:39 The Lord said
to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of
the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and
wickedness.
Luk 11:40 You foolish
ones, didn't he who made the outside make the inside also?
Luk 11:41 But give for
gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all
things will be clean to you.
Luk 11:42 But woe to
you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you
bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and
not to have left the other undone.
Luk 11:43 Woe to you
Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the
greetings in the marketplaces.
Luk 11:44 Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves,
and the men who walk over them don't know it."
Luk 11:45 One of the
lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us
also."
Luk 11:46 He said, "Woe
to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult
to carry, and you yourselves won't even lift one finger to help carry
those burdens.
Luk 11:47 Woe to you!
For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed
them.
Luk 11:48 So you
testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed
them, and you build their tombs.
Luk 11:49 Therefore
also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and
apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,
Luk 11:50 that the
blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the
world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51 from the
blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the
altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of
this generation.
Luk 11:52 Woe to you
lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn't enter in
yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered."
Luk 11:53 As he said
these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be
terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;
Luk 11:54 lying in wait
for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that
they might accuse him.
Many of us were shocked to read an article featured on the front page of Scotland’s The Daily Record
that ran on September 6, 2013. The article was titled: “Parents’
Outrage as Extremist US Religious Cult Hand Out Creationist Books and
Preach to Kids at Scottish School” (McGivern, 2013). The “extremist US
religious cult” under discussion is the church of Christ. The article
caused quite a stir, as you can imagine, and provides a case study in
unfair, unbalanced, biased reporting, which we will analyze later in
this article. Before doing so, consider the background of the events
that elicited the article.