Time to make a turn by Gary Rose

Over the past few years, I have become more and more attracted to Cardinals. Two years ago, Linda and I even purchased a set of dishes that had Cardinals as one of the featured themes.

This picture of a Cardinal making a turn attracted my attention today. Not only because of the turn, but also because the way it was turning its head. Somehow, it even looked like it was posing, but that could just be me imagining it.

Birds fly; that’s what they do. They climb high or dive or make all sorts of maneuvers for whatever they intend to do. You know, in a way, people are like birds. We live just the way we want to, going in whatever direction seems best to us and reaping the consequences of our choices. As I think about it, The Apostle Paul was like this; he did what he thought best and persecuted the 1^st century Christians. Then one day, as he was traveling to Damascus, he was confronted by the resurrected Jesus. He changed from a persecutor of Christians to Christianity’s foremost evangelist. The following Scripture tells the tale.

^{Acts 26 ( World English Bible )}

¹ Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

² “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

³ especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

⁴ “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

⁵ having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁶ Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

⁷ which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

⁸ Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

⁹ “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰ This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

¹¹ Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹² “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

¹³ at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

¹⁴ When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

¹⁶ But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

¹⁷ delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

¹⁸ to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

¹⁹ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

²⁰ but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

²¹ For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

²² Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,

²³ how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”

^{The Apostle Peter wrote...}

^{1 Peter 2 ( WEB )}

¹ Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

² as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,

³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

⁴ coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

⁵ You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶ Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”

⁷ For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,”

⁸ and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

¹⁰ who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Spiritually, if we just do what we want to, we walk in darkness. But when we hear the message of “good news”, the light of God comes into our lives and we see the way God would have us live.

Paul later wrote…

2 Corinthians 4 ( WEB )

¹ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

³ Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;

⁴ in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

⁵ For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake;

⁶ seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

God wants us to live in the light of his truth; to this end he sent his one and only Son to show us the way. Jesus’ resurrection proves he was who he claimed to be. This truth calls us to follow him. Satan tries to hide this truth and blind our eyes to it, but once one sees the truth of the Gospel of Christ for what it is, it is time to turn from the darkness of evil to the light of God.

In the picture, the Cardinal is making a turn and I hope it is for the better. When anyone turns to God, they have chosen the very best way to live and the only one that will lead to living forever. Think about where you are in life and turn in the direction of God and don’t look back!

 

Bible Reading for February 26 - 28 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading for February 26 - 28

World  English  Bible

Feb. 26

Exodus 7

Exo 7:1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

Exo 7:2 You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Exo 7:3 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

Exo 7:4 But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

Exo 7:5 The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch forth my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."

Exo 7:6 Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did.

Exo 7:7 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Exo 7:8 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Exo 7:9 "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, 'Perform a miracle!' then you shall tell Aaron, 'Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.' "

Exo 7:10 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Exo 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.

Exo 7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Exo 7:13 Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

Exo 7:14 Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.

Exo 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river's bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.

Exo 7:16 You shall tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:" and behold, until now you haven't listened.

Exo 7:17 Thus says Yahweh, "In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Exo 7:18 The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river." ' "

Exo 7:19 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.' "

Exo 7:20 Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

Exo 7:21 The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians couldn't drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exo 7:22 The magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

Exo 7:23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart.

Exo 7:24 All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn't drink of the water of the river.

Exo 7:25 Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river. 

 

Feb. 27

Exodus 8

Exo 8:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, "This is what Yahweh says, 'Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 8:2 If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs:

Exo 8:3 and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs:

Exo 8:4 and the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.' "

Exo 8:5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.' "

Exo 8:6 Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

Exo 8:7 The magicians did in like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

Exo 8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh."

Exo 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only."

Exo 8:10 He said, "Tomorrow." He said, "Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God.

Exo 8:11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only."

Exo 8:12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.

Exo 8:13 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.

Exo 8:14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.

Exo 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

Exo 8:16 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.' "

Exo 8:17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exo 8:18 The magicians tried with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they couldn't. There were lice on man, and on animal.

Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God:" and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

Exo 8:20 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes forth to the water; and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh says, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 8:21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

Exo 8:22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.

Exo 8:23 I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be." ' "

Exo 8:24 Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

Exo 8:25 Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!"

Exo 8:26 Moses said, "It isn't appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won't they stone us?

Exo 8:27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us."

Exo 8:28 Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me."

Exo 8:29 Moses said, "Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don't let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh."

Exo 8:30 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.

Exo 8:31 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one.

Exo 8:32 Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn't let the people go. 

 

Feb. 28

Exodus 9

Exo 9:1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still,

Exo 9:3 behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.

Exo 9:4 Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel." ' "

Exo 9:5 Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land."

Exo 9:6 Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

Exo 9:7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn't let the people go.

Exo 9:8 Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.

Exo 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal.

Exo 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.

Exo 9:12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.

Exo 9:13 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Exo 9:15 For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;

Exo 9:16 but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;

Exo 9:17 as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won't let them go.

Exo 9:18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.

Exo 9:19 Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn't brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die." ' "

Exo 9:20 Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.

Exo 9:21 Whoever didn't regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.

Exo 9:22 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:23 Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Exo 9:24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Exo 9:25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

Exo 9:27 Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exo 9:28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer."

Exo 9:29 Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh's.

Exo 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don't yet fear Yahweh God."

Exo 9:31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.

Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.

Exo 9:33 Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.

Exo 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Exo 9:35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn't let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses. 

Exo 10:1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,

Exo 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son's son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh."

Exo 10:3 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 10:4 Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,

Exo 10:5 and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won't be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.

Exo 10:6 Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.' " He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Exo 10:7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don't you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?"

Exo 10:8 Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?"

Exo 10:9 Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh."

Exo 10:10 He said to them, "Yahweh be with you if I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.

Exo 10:11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!" They were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

Exo 10:12 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left."

Exo 10:13 Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

Exo 10:14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

Exo 10:15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you.

Exo 10:17 Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death."

Exo 10:18 He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.

Exo 10:19 Yahweh turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt.

Exo 10:20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go.

Exo 10:21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."

Exo 10:22 Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Exo 10:23 They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Exo 10:24 Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you."

Exo 10:25 Moses said, "You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.

Exo 10:26 Our livestock also shall go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don't know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there."

Exo 10:27 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he wouldn't let them go.

Exo 10:28 Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!"

Exo 10:29 Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more." 

 

 Feb. 26, 27

Mark 1

Mar 1:1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.

Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!' "

Mar 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

Mar 1:5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

Mar 1:6 John was clothed with camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

Mar 1:7 He preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

Mar 1:8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit."

Mar 1:9 It happened in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Mar 1:10 Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Mar 1:11 A voice came out of the sky, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Mar 1:12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

Mar 1:13 He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

Mar 1:14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News."

Mar 1:16 Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

Mar 1:17 Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men."

Mar 1:18 Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

Mar 1:19 Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

Mar 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Mar 1:21 They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.

Mar 1:22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mar 1:23 Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

Mar 1:24 saying, "Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!"

Mar 1:25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

Mar 1:26 The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

Mar 1:27 They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!"

Mar 1:28 The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Mar 1:29 Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Mar 1:30 Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

Mar 1:31 He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

Mar 1:32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons.

Mar 1:33 All the city was gathered together at the door.

Mar 1:34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn't allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Mar 1:35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

Mar 1:36 Simon and those who were with him followed after him;

Mar 1:37 and they found him, and told him, "Everyone is looking for you."

Mar 1:38 He said to them, "Let's go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason."

Mar 1:39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

Mar 1:40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, "If you want to, you can make me clean."

Mar 1:41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I want to. Be made clean."

Mar 1:42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

Mar 1:43 He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out,

Mar 1:44 and said to him, "See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

Mar 1:45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere. 

 

Feb. 28

Mark 2

Mar 2:1 When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house.

Mar 2:2 Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.

Mar 2:3 Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.

Mar 2:4 When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.

Mar 2:5 Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Mar 2:6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

Mar 2:7 "Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Mar 2:8 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you reason these things in your hearts?

Mar 2:9 Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?'

Mar 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -he said to the paralytic-

Mar 2:11 "I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house."

Mar 2:12 He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Mar 2:13 He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.

Mar 2:14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.

Mar 2:15 It happened, that he was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

Mar 2:16 The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Mar 2:18 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

Mar 2:19 Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can't fast.

Mar 2:20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day.

Mar 2:21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.

Mar 2:22 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."

Mar 2:23 It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.

Mar 2:24 The Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"

Mar 2:25 He said to them, "Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry-he, and those who were with him?

Mar 2:26 How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?"

Mar 2:27 He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."