Bible Reading
August 1
The World English Bible
Aug.
1
2
Chronicles 28-30
2Ch
28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn't do that which was
right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father;
2Ch
28:2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also
molten images for the Baals.
2Ch
28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom,
and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of
the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.
2Ch
28:4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the
hills, and under every green tree.
2Ch
28:5 Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the
king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great
multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also
delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a
great slaughter.
2Ch
28:6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred
twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had
forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2Ch
28:7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's
son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to
the king.
2Ch
28:8 The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers
two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away
much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
2Ch
28:9 But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and he
went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them,
Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with
Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them
in a rage which has reached up to heaven.
2Ch
28:10 Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and
Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves: but
aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your
God?
2Ch
28:11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you
have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh
is on you.
2Ch
28:12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah
the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah
the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against
those who came from the war,
2Ch
28:13 and said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here:
for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against
Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is
great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
2Ch
28:14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the
princes and all the assembly.
2Ch
28:15 The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the
captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them,
and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink,
and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and
brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers:
then they returned to Samaria.
2Ch
28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send to the kings of Assyria to
help him.
2Ch
28:17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried
away captives.
2Ch
28:18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland,
and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon,
and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, and Timnah with its towns,
Gimzo also and its towns: and they lived there.
2Ch
28:19 For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel;
for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against
Yahweh.
2Ch
28:20 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed
him, but didn't strengthen him.
2Ch
28:21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and
out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the
king of Assyria: but it didn't help him.
2Ch
28:22 In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against
Yahweh, this same king Ahaz.
2Ch
28:23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him;
and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them,
therefore
will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the
ruin of him, and of all Israel.
2Ch
28:24 Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and
cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors
of the house of Yahweh; and he made him altars in every corner of
Jerusalem.
2Ch
28:25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to
other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
2Ch
28:26 Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel.
2Ch
28:27 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city,
even in Jerusalem; for they didn't bring him into the tombs of the
kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
2Ch
29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; and
he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2Ch
29:2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that David his father had done.
2Ch
29:3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened
the doors of the house of Yahweh, and repaired them.
2Ch
29:4 He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them
together into the broad place on the east,
2Ch
29:5 and said to them, Hear me, you Levites; now sanctify
yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your
fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
2Ch
29:6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil
in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him, and have
turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and turned
their backs.
2Ch
29:7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the
lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the
holy place to the God of Israel.
2Ch
29:8 Therefore the wrath of Yahweh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and
he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an
astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.
2Ch
29:9 For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons
and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
2Ch
29:10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God
of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.
2Ch
29:11 My sons, don't be negligent now; for Yahweh has chosen you to
stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his
ministers, and burn incense.
2Ch
29:12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel
the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of
Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and
of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;
2Ch
29:13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the
sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;
2Ch
29:14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons
of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
2Ch
29:15 They gathered their brothers, and sanctified themselves, and
went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of
Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh.
2Ch
29:16 The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh,
to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in
the temple of Yahweh into the court of the house of Yahweh. The
Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.
2Ch
29:17 Now they began on the first day
of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month
came they to the porch of Yahweh; and they sanctified the house of
Yahweh in eight days: and on the sixteenth day of the first month
they made an end.
2Ch
29:18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the
palace, and said, We have cleansed all
the house of Yahweh, and the altar of burnt offering, with all its
vessels, and the table of show bread, with all its vessels.
2Ch
29:19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did
cast away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and
behold, they are before the altar of Yahweh.
2Ch
29:20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes
of the city, and went up to the house of Yahweh.
2Ch
29:21 They brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and
seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the
sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron
to offer them on the altar of Yahweh.
2Ch
29:22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood,
and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and
sprinkled the blood on the altar: they killed also the lambs, and
sprinkled the blood on the altar.
2Ch
29:23 They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before
the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them:
2Ch
29:24 and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with
their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the
king commanded that
the burnt offering and the sin offering should
be made for all Israel.
2Ch
29:25 He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with
stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of
David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the
commandment was of Yahweh by his prophets.
2Ch
29:26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the
priests with the trumpets.
2Ch
29:27 Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar.
When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also, and the
trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel.
2Ch
29:28 All the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the
trumpeters sounded; all this continued
until the burnt offering was finished.
2Ch
29:29 When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who
were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.
2Ch
29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the
Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David, and of
Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their
heads and worshiped.
2Ch
29:31 Then Hezekiah answered, Now you have consecrated yourselves to
Yahweh; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the
house of Yahweh. The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank
offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought
burnt offerings.
2Ch
29:32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought
was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these
were for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
2Ch
29:33 The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and
three thousand sheep.
2Ch
29:34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all
the burnt offerings: therefore their brothers the Levites helped
them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified
themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify
themselves than the priests.
2Ch
29:35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of
the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt
offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in order.
2Ch
29:36 Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which
God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
2Ch
30:1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also
to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh
at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
2Ch
30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.
2Ch
30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests
had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the
people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
2Ch
30:4 The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the
assembly.
2Ch
30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout
all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep
the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had
not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.
2Ch
30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his
princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, You children of Israel, turn again
to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return
to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the hand of the kings
of Assyria.
2Ch
30:7 Don't be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who
trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he gave
them up to desolation, as you see.
2Ch
30:8 Now don't you be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; but yield
yourselves to Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has
sanctified forever, and serve Yahweh your God, that his fierce anger
may turn away from you.
2Ch
30:9 For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your
children shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and
shall come again into this land: for Yahweh your God is gracious and
merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to
him.
2Ch
30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun: but they ridiculed them, and
mocked them.
2Ch
30:11 Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun
humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
2Ch
30:12 Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to
do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of
Yahweh.
2Ch
30:13 There assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.
2Ch
30:14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem,
and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the
brook Kidron.
2Ch
30:15 Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day
of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed,
and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house
of Yahweh.
2Ch
30:16 They stood in their place after their order, according to the
law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood which
they received of the hand of the
Levites.
2Ch
30:17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified
themselves: therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the
Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh.
2Ch
30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did
they eat the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had
prayed for them, saying, The good Yahweh pardon everyone
2Ch
30:19 who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his
fathers, though not cleansed
according to the purification of the sanctuary.
2Ch
30:20 Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
2Ch
30:21 The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the
Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing
with loud instruments to Yahweh.
2Ch
30:22 Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good
understanding in the service
of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days,
offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to
Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2Ch
30:23 The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and
they kept other
seven days with gladness.
2Ch
30:24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the assembly for
offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the
princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep:
and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
2Ch
30:25 All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites,
and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who
came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.
2Ch
30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of
Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in
Jerusalem.
2Ch
30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy
habitation, even to heaven.
Aug.
1, 2
Acts
19
Act
19:1 It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having
passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain
disciples.
Act
19:2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" They said to him, "No, we haven't even heard
that there is a Holy Spirit."
Act
19:3 He said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They
said, "Into John's baptism."
Act
19:4 Paul said, "John indeed baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one
who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."
Act
19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus.
Act
19:6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on
them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
Act
19:7 They were about twelve men in all.
Act
19:8 He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of
three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning
the Kingdom of God.
Act
19:9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of
the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated
the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
Act
19:10 This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in
Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Act
19:11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
Act
19:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from
his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out.
Act
19:13 But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves
to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord
Jesus, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Act
19:14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who
did this.
Act
19:15 The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know,
but who are you?"
Act
19:16 The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and
overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out
of that house naked and wounded.
Act
19:17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at
Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was
magnified.
Act
19:18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and
declaring their deeds.
Act
19:19 Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books
together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted the price
of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Act
19:20 So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
Act
19:21 Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the
spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to
Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see
Rome."
Act
19:22 Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him,
Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
Act
19:23 About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.
Act
19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made
silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the
craftsmen,
Act
19:25 whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like
occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this business we
have our wealth.
Act
19:26 You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many
people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands.
Act
19:27 Not only is there danger that this our trade come into
disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will
be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and
the world worships."
Act
19:28 When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried
out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Act
19:29 The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with
one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men
of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel.
Act
19:30 When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples
didn't allow him.
Act
19:31 Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him
and begged him not to venture into the theater.
Act
19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the
assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn't know why they had come
together.
Act
19:33 They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting
him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a
defense to the people.
Act
19:34 But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice
for a time of about two hours cried out, "Great is Artemis of
the Ephesians!"
Act
19:35 When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, "You
men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn't know that the city of
the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of
the image which fell down from Zeus?
Act
19:36 Seeing then that these things can't be denied, you ought to be
quiet, and to do nothing rash.
Act
19:37 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers
of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.
Act
19:38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have
a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are
proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.
Act
19:39 But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be
settled in the regular assembly.
Act
19:40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this
day's riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn't be able
to give an account of this commotion."
Act
19:41 When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
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?
