Bible Reading for October 26 and 27
World English Bible
Oct.
26
Song
of Solomon 7, 8
Son
7:1 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince's daughter! Your
rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful
workman.
Son
7:2 Your body is like a round goblet, no mixed wine is wanting. Your
waist is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies.
Son
7:3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a roe.
Son
7:4 Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools
in Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is like the tower of
Lebanon which looks toward Damascus.
Son
7:5 Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like
purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.
Son
7:6 How beautiful and how pleasant you are, love, for delights!
Son
7:7 This, your stature, is like a palm tree, your breasts like its
fruit.
Son
7:8 I said, "I will climb up into the palm tree. I will take
hold of its fruit." Let your breasts be like clusters of the
vine, the smell of your breath like apples, Beloved
Son
7:9 Your mouth like the best wine, that goes down smoothly for my
beloved, gliding through the lips of those who are asleep.
Son
7:10 I am my beloved's. His desire is toward me.
Son
7:11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field. Let us lodge
in the villages.
Son
7:12 Let's go early up to the vineyards. Let's see whether the vine
has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower.
There I will give you my love.
Son
7:13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance. At our doors are all kinds
of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my
beloved.
Son
8:1 Oh that you were like my brother, who sucked the breasts of my
mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one
would despise me.
Son
8:2 I would lead you, bringing you into my mother's house, who would
instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my
pomegranate.
Son
8:3 His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would
embrace me.
Son
8:4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor
awaken love, until it so desires. Friends
Son
8:5 Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her
beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother
conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
Son
8:6 Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love
is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are
flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh.
Son
8:7 Many waters can't quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a
man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be
utterly scorned. Friends
Son
8:8 We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do
for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?
Son
8:9 If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. if
she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. Beloved
Son
8:10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes
like one who found peace.
Son
8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the
vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver
for its fruit.
Son
8:12 My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you,
Solomon; two hundred for those who tend its fruit. Lover
Son
8:13 You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let
me hear your voice! Beloved
Son
8:14 Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the
mountains of spices!
Oct.
27
Isaiah
1-4
Isa
1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Isa
1:2 Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: I have
nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Isa
1:3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib; but
Israel doesn't know, my people don't consider.
Isa
1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, a seed of
evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and
backward.
Isa
1:5 Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more?
The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa
1:6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness
in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven't been closed,
neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil.
Isa
1:7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire.
Strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate, as
overthrown by strangers.
Isa
1:8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like
a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city.
Isa
1:9 Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we
would have been as Sodom; we would have been like Gomorrah.
Isa
1:10 Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law
of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
Isa
1:11 "What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?,"
says Yahweh. "I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fat of fed animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls, or
of lambs, or of male goats.
Isa
1:12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at
your hand, to trample my courts?
Isa
1:13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me;
new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can't bear with evil
assemblies.
Isa
1:14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They
are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.
Isa
1:15 When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full
of blood.
Isa
1:16 Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your
doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
Isa
1:17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge
the fatherless. Plead for the widow."
Isa
1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," says Yahweh:
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isa
1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the
land;
Isa
1:20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the
sword; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it."
Isa
1:21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of
justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
Isa
1:22 Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
Isa
1:23 Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don't judge
the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
Isa
1:24 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel,
says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge
myself of my enemies;
Isa
1:25 and I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your
dross, and will take away all your tin.
Isa
1:26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors
as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called 'The city of
righteousness, a faithful town.'
Isa
1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with
righteousness.
Isa
1:28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be
together, and those who forsake Yahweh shall be consumed.
Isa
1:29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
Isa
1:30 For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden
that has no water.
Isa
1:31 The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They
will both burn together, and no one will quench them."
Isa
2:1 This is what Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem.
Isa
2:2 It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of
Yahweh's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and
shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.
Isa
2:3 Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the
mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of
Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
Isa
2:4 He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning
many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isa
2:5 House of Jacob, come, and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.
Isa
2:6 For you have forsaken your people, the house of Jacob, because
they are filled from the east, with those who practice divination
like the Philistines, and they clasp hands with the children of
foreigners.
Oct. 26
1
Thessalonians 3
1Th 3:1
Therefore, when we couldn't stand it any longer, we thought it good
to be left behind at Athens alone,
1Th 3:2
and sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the Good News of
Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;
1Th 3:3
that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are
appointed to this task.
1Th 3:4
For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand
that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.
1Th 3:5
For this cause I also, when I couldn't stand it any longer, sent
that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter
had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.
1Th 3:6
But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad
news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us
always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;
1Th 3:7
for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our
distress and affliction through your faith.
1Th 3:8
For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
1Th 3:9
For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all
the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;
1Th
3:10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face,
and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
1Th
3:11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
direct our way to you;
1Th
3:12 and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,
1Th
3:13 to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness
before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all
his saints.
Oct. 27
1
Thessalonians 4
1Th 4:1
Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus,
that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God,
that you abound more and more.
1Th 4:2
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3
For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain
from sexual immorality,
1Th 4:4
that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel
in sanctification and honor,
1Th 4:5
not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God;
1Th 4:6
that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister
in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as also we forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
1Th 4:8
Therefore he who rejects this doesn't reject man, but God, who has
also given his Holy Spirit to you.
1Th 4:9
But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to
you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
1Th
4:10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all
Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and
more;
1Th
4:11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to
do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we
instructed you;
1Th
4:12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and
may have need of nothing.
1Th
4:13 But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning
those who have fallen asleep, so that you don't grieve like the rest,
who have no hope.
1Th
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
1Th
4:15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede
those who have fallen asleep.
1Th
4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in
Christ will rise first,
1Th
4:17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be
with the Lord forever.
1Th
4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
As
American civilization has been detached from its Christian moorings, a
host of offbeat, confused, and superstitious ideas have infiltrated
society. Especially with the resurgence of the occult in the last 50
years and Hollywood’s efforts to create credibility for “ghosts,”
exorcism, and astrology, more Americans than ever before have come to
believe in such hocus-pocus. One result has been the widespread belief
in “out-of-body experiences.” Even among otherwise straight thinking
Christians, many have come to believe that a person can “die,” as
evidenced by “flatlining,” that his or her spirit momentarily leaves the
body, and then returns to the body, enabling the person to regain
consciousness and live to tell about the experience. Stories often
include reports of tunnels with bright light at the end, feelings of
warmth and reassurance, a sense of hovering above and looking down upon
the operating room personnel, etc. Are such experiences proofs that
individuals are, in fact, dying and exiting their bodies, and then
returning again?