Bible Reading
May 26
The World English Bible
May
26
Judges
9, 10
Jdg
9:1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's
brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house
of his mother's father, saying,
Jdg
9:2 Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is
better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy
persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? Remember also that
I am your bone and your flesh.
Jdg
9:3 His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of
Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow
Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
Jdg
9:4 They gave him seventy pieces
of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired
vain and light fellows, who followed him.
Jdg
9:5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers
the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone: but
Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
Jdg
9:6 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all
the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of
the pillar that was in Shechem.
Jdg
9:7 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of
Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them,
Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
Jdg
9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and
they said to the olive tree, Reign over us.
Jdg
9:9 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with
which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth
over the trees?
Jdg
9:10 The trees said to the fig tree, Come and reign over us.
Jdg
9:11 But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and
my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
Jdg
9:12 The trees said to the vine, Come and reign over us.
Jdg
9:13 The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers
God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
Jdg
9:14 Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come and reign over us.
Jdg
9:15 The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king
over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire
come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Jdg
9:16 Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that
you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with
Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the
deserving of his hands
Jdg
9:17 (for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and
delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
Jdg
9:18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and
have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made
Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of
Shechem, because he is your brother);
Jdg
9:19 if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and
with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also
rejoice in you:
Jdg
9:20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the
men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from
the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour
Abimelech.
Jdg
9:21 Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there,
for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Jdg
9:22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
Jdg
9:23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of
Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
Jdg
9:24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might
come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother,
who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his
hands to kill his brothers.
Jdg
9:25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the
mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them: and
it was told Abimelech.
Jdg
9:26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to
Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
Jdg
9:27 They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and
trod the grapes,
and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat
and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
Jdg
9:28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is
Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? and
Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but
why should we serve him?
Jdg
9:29 Would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech." He said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come
out.
Jdg
9:30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the
son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
Jdg
9:31 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal
the son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold,
they constrain the city to take part
against you.
Jdg
9:32 Now therefore, go up by night, you and the people who are with
you, and lie in wait in the field:
Jdg
9:33 and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up,
you shall rise early, and rush on the city; and behold, when he and
the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to
them as you shall find occasion.
Jdg
9:34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by
night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
Jdg
9:35 Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the
gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with
him, from the ambush.
Jdg
9:36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come
people down from the tops of the mountains. Zebul said to him, You
see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
Jdg
9:37 Gaal spoke again and said, Behold, there come people down by
the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak
of Meonenim.
Jdg
9:38 Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, that you said,
Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people
that you have despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them.
Jdg
9:39 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with
Abimelech.
Jdg
9:40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell
many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
Jdg
9:41 Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his
brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
Jdg
9:42 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the
field; and they told Abimelech.
Jdg
9:43 He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and
laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came
forth out of the city; He rose up against them, and struck them.
Jdg
9:44 Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed
forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the
two companies rushed on all who were in the field, and struck them.
Jdg
9:45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the
city, and killed the people who were therein: and he beat down the
city, and sowed it with salt.
Jdg
9:46 When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they
entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
Jdg
9:47 It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together.
Jdg
9:48 Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who
were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a
bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder:
and he said to the people who were with him, What you have seen me
do, make haste, and do as I have done.
Jdg
9:49 All the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and
followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold, and set the
stronghold on fire on them; so that all the men of the tower of
Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
Jdg
9:50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and
took it.
Jdg
9:51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled
all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves
in, and got them up to the roof of the tower.
Jdg
9:52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew
near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Jdg
9:53 A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech's head,
and broke his skull.
Jdg
9:54 Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and
said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, A
woman killed him. His young man thrust him through, and he died.
Jdg
9:55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they
departed every man to his place.
Jdg
9:56 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to
his father, in killing his seventy brothers;
Jdg
9:57 and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite on
their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of
Jerubbaal.
Jdg
10:1 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of
Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he lived in Shamir in
the hill country of Ephraim.
Jdg
10:2 He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried
in Shamir.
Jdg
10:3 After him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel
twenty-two years.
Jdg
10:4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they
had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which
are in the land of Gilead.
Jdg
10:5 Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
Jdg
10:6 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the
sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals, and the Ashtaroth, and the
gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the
gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and
they forsook Yahweh, and didn't serve him.
Jdg
10:7 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold
them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the
children of Ammon.
Jdg
10:8 They troubled and oppressed the children of Israel that year:
eighteen years oppressed they
all the children of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of
the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
Jdg
10:9 The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of
Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
Jdg
10:10 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, saying, We have sinned
against you, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served
the Baals.
Jdg
10:11 Yahweh said to the children of Israel, Didn't I save you from
the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and
from the Philistines?
Jdg
10:12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did
oppress you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.
Jdg
10:13 Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods: therefore I
will save you no more.
Jdg
10:14 Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save
you in the time of your distress.
Jdg
10:15 The children of Israel said to Yahweh, We have sinned: do you
to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, we pray you, this
day.
Jdg
10:16 They put away the foreign gods from among them, and served
Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
Jdg
10:17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and
encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves
together, and encamped in Mizpah.
Jdg
10:18 The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What
man is he who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he
shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
May
26, 27
John
6
Joh
6:1 After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea
of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias.
Joh
6:2 A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which
he did on those who were sick.
Joh
6:3 Jesus went up into the mountain, and he sat there with his
disciples.
Joh
6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
Joh
6:5 Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great
multitude was coming to him, said to Philip, "Where are we to
buy bread, that these may eat?"
Joh
6:6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
Joh
6:7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is
not sufficient for them, that everyone of them may receive a little."
Joh
6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to
him,
Joh
6:9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two
fish, but what are these among so many?"
Joh
6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was
much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five
thousand.
Joh
6:11 Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed
to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down;
likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.
Joh
6:12 When they were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather
up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost."
Joh
6:13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken
pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who
had eaten.
Joh
6:14 When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they
said, "This is truly the prophet who comes into the world."
Joh
6:15 Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and
take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain
by himself.
Joh
6:16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
Joh
6:17 and they entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to
Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
Joh
6:18 The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.
Joh
6:19 When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty
stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the
boat; and they were afraid.
Joh
6:20 But he said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid."
Joh
6:21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat.
Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
Joh
6:22 On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of
the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in
which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn't entered with
his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.
Joh
6:23 However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they
ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
Joh
6:24 When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor
his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to
Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
Joh
6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked
him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
Joh
6:26 Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, you seek
me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and
were filled.
Joh
6:27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which
remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For
God the Father has sealed him."
Joh
6:28 They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may
work the works of God?"
Joh
6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you
believe in him whom he has sent."
Joh
6:30 They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a
sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?
Joh
6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written,
'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.' "
Joh
6:32 Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you,
it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father
gives you the true bread out of heaven.
Joh
6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven,
and gives life to the world."
Joh
6:34 They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this
bread."
Joh
6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes
to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be
thirsty.
Joh
6:36 But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don't
believe.
Joh
6:37 All those who the Father gives me will come to me. Him who
comes to me I will in no way throw out.
Joh
6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but
the will of him who sent me.
Joh
6:39 This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has
given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the
last day.
Joh
6:40 This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees
the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will
raise him up at the last day."
Joh
6:41 The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I
am the bread which came down out of heaven."
Joh
6:42 They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose
father and mother we know? How then does he say, 'I have come down
out of heaven?' "
Joh
6:43 Therefore Jesus answered them, "Don't murmur among
yourselves.
Joh
6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
and I will raise him up in the last day.
Joh
6:45 It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by
God.' Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned,
comes to me.
Joh
6:46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God.
He has seen the Father.
Joh
6:47 Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal
life.
Joh
6:48 I am the bread of life.
Joh
6:49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
Joh
6:50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone
may eat of it and not die.
Joh
6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will
give for the life of the world is my flesh."
Joh
6:52 The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How
can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Joh
6:53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you
don't have life in yourselves.
Joh
6:54 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and
I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh
6:55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh
6:56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in
him.
Joh
6:57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father;
so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.
Joh
6:58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven-not as our
fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live
forever."
Joh
6:59 He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in
Capernaum.
Joh
6:60 Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said,
"This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"
Joh
6:61 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at
this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?
Joh
6:62 Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he
was before?
Joh
6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The
words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
Joh
6:64 But there are some of you who don't believe." For Jesus
knew from the beginning who they were who didn't believe, and who it
was who would betray him.
Joh
6:65 He said, "For this cause have I said to you that no one
can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father."
Joh
6:66 At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more
with him.
Joh
6:67 Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You don't also want
to go away, do you?"
Joh
6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You
have the words of eternal life.
Joh
6:69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the
Son of the living God."
Joh
6:70 Jesus answered them, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and
one of you is a devil?"
Joh
6:71 Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he
who would betray him, being one of the twelve.
