Bible Reading
December 25
The World English Bible
Dec.
25
Zephaniah
1-3
Zep
1:1 The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi,
the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the
days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Zep
1:2 I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the
earth, says Yahweh.
Zep
1:3 I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of
the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the
wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says
Yahweh.
Zep
1:4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from
this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests,
Zep
1:5 those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those
who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam,
Zep
1:6 those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who
haven't sought Yahweh nor inquired after him.
Zep
1:7 Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of
Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has
consecrated his guests.
Zep
1:8 It will happen in the day of Yahweh's sacrifice, that I will
punish the princes, the king's sons, and all those who are clothed
with foreign clothing.
Zep
1:9 In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the
threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.
Zep
1:10 In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from
the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great
crashing from the hills.
Zep
1:11 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan
are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.
Zep
1:12 It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with
lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who
say in their heart, "Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do
evil."
Zep
1:13 Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a
desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won't inhabit them. They
will plant vineyards, but won't drink their wine.
Zep
1:14 The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries
greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there
bitterly.
Zep
1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a
day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds
and blackness,
Zep
1:16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities,
and against the high battlements.
Zep
1:17 I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind
men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be
poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
Zep
1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver
them in the day of Yahweh's wrath, but the whole land will be
devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a
terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
Zep
2:1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation
that has no shame,
Zep
2:2 before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff,
before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of
Yahweh's anger comes on you.
Zep
2:3 Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his
ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you
will be hidden in the day of Yahweh's anger.
Zep
2:4 For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will
drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.
Zep
2:5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the
Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, the land of
the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no
inhabitant.
Zep
2:6 The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and
folds for flocks.
Zep
2:7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They
will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in
the evening, for Yahweh, their God, will visit them, and restore
them.
Zep
2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the
children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and
magnified themselves against their border.
Zep
2:9 Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel,
surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah,
a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation.
The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my
nation will inherit them.
Zep
2:10 This they will have for their pride, because they have
reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of
Armies.
Zep
2:11 Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods
of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all
the shores of the nations.
Zep
2:12 You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
Zep
2:13 He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy
Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the
wilderness.
Zep
2:14 Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the
nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its
capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will
be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.
Zep
2:15 This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her
heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has
become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who
passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists.
Zep
3:1 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
Zep
3:2 She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction. She
didn't trust in Yahweh. She didn't draw near to her God.
Zep
3:3 Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges
are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
Zep
3:4 Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests
have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
Zep
3:5 Yahweh, in the midst of her, is righteous. He will do no wrong.
Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn't fail, but
the unjust know no shame.
Zep
3:6 I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have
made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are
destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
Zep
3:7 I said, "Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her
dwelling won't be cut off, according to all that I have appointed
concerning her." But they rose early and corrupted all their
doings.
Zep
3:8 "Therefore wait for me," says Yahweh, "until the
day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the
nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my
indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be
devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Zep
3:9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may
all call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
Zep
3:10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the
daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
Zep
3:11 In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings,
in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away
out of the midst of you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no
more be haughty in my holy mountain.
Zep
3:12 But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor
people, and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
Zep
3:13 The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies,
neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they
will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid."
Zep
3:14 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with
all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
Zep
3:15 Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your
enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of you. You will
not be afraid of evil any more.
Zep
3:16 In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Don't be
afraid, Zion. Don't let your hands be weak."
Zep
3:17 Yahweh, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will
save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his
love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zep
3:18 I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from
you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
Zep
3:19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict
you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather those who were
driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been
in all the earth.
Zep
3:20 At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I
gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the
peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,
says Yahweh.
Dec.
25
Revelation
11, 12
Rev
11:1 A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, "Rise,
and measure God's temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
Rev
11:2 Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don't
measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the
holy city under foot for forty-two months.
Rev
11:3 I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy
one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
Rev
11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing
before the Lord of the earth.
Rev
11:5 If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their
mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he
must be killed in this way.
Rev
11:6 These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain
during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters,
to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague,
as often as they desire.
Rev
11:7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes
up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and
kill them.
Rev
11:8 Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city,
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord
was crucified.
Rev
11:9 From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations people
will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will
not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
Rev
11:10 Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will
be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two
prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Rev
11:11 After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God
entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on
those who saw them.
Rev
11:12 I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up
here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies
saw them.
Rev
11:13 In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the
city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and
the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev
11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.
Rev
11:15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven
followed, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the
Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and
ever!"
Rev
11:16 The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God's
throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Rev
11:17 saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the
one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and
reigned.
Rev
11:18 The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time
for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the
prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear
your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who
destroy the earth."
Rev
11:19 God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the
Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders,
an earthquake, and great hail followed.
Rev
12:1 A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun,
and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Rev
12:2 She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give
birth.
Rev
12:3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
Rev
12:4 His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them
to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give
birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
Rev
12:5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the
nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God, and to
his throne.
Rev
12:6 The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place
prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two
hundred sixty days.
Rev
12:7 There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on
the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
Rev
12:8 They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more
in heaven.
Rev
12:9 The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is
called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was
thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Rev
12:10 I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the
salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority
of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
Rev
12:11 They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of
the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to
death.
Rev
12:12 Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to
the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you,
having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time."
Rev
12:13 When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he
persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
Rev
12:14 Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she
might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be
nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of
the serpent.
Rev
12:15 The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like
a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
Rev
12:16 The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and
swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.
Rev
12:17 The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make
war with the rest of her seed, who keep God's commandments and hold
Jesus' testimony.
Churches
of Christ (Romans 16:16) have long been demonized for their insistence
that all peoples are required to render obedience to the God of heaven,
and that this obedience means that people must not tamper with God’s
Word by inventing new churches, doctrines, creeds, and religions. They
have insisted that the Bible depicts for humanity the religion of God,
i.e., New Testament Christianity. Catholicism, Protestant
denominationalism, and the plethora of manmade churches that have sprung
up over the centuries are departures from “the faith” (1 Timothy 4:1).
They have maintained that it is possible—and necessary—for a person to
go back behind all denominational creeds and affiliations, and to be
simply a New Testament Christian, a member of the New Testament church.