The One Year Bible TLB (65 page)

Proverbs 11:22

A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig’s snout.

Numbers 33:40–35:34

Luke 5:12-28

Psalm 65:1-13

Proverbs 11:23

Numbers 33:40–35:34

It was then that the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, in the land of Canaan, heard that the people of Israel were approaching his land.
41
 After dealing with him, the Israelis journeyed from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah,
42
 then at Punon,
43
 then at Oboth,
44
 then Iyeabarim (at the border of Moab).
45
 From there they went to Dibon-gad,
46
 and then to Almon-diblathaim,
47
 and on into the mountains of Abarim, near Mount Nebo,
48
 and finally to the plains of Moab beside the river Jordan, opposite Jericho.
49
 While in that area they camped at various places along the Jordan River, from Bethjeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim, on the plains of Moab.

50-51
 It was while they were camped there that the Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel, “When you pass across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,
52
 you must drive out all the people living there and destroy all their idols—their carved stones, molten images, and the open-air sanctuaries in the hills where they worship their idols.
53
 I have given the land to you; take it and live there.
54
 You will be given land in proportion to the size of your tribes. The larger sections of land will be divided by lot among the larger tribes, and the smaller sections will be allotted to the smaller tribes.
55
 But if you refuse to drive out the people living there, those who remain will be as cinders in your eyes and thorns in your sides.
56
 And I will destroy you as I had planned for you to destroy them.”

34:
1-2
 The Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel, “When you come into the land of Canaan (I am giving you the entire land as your homeland),
3
 the southern portion of the country will be the wilderness of Zin, along the edge of Edom. The southern boundary will begin at the Dead Sea,
4
 and will continue south past Scorpion Pass
*
in the direction of Zin. Its southernmost point will be Kadesh-barnea, from which it will go to Hazaraddar, and on to Azmon.
5
 From Azmon the boundary will follow the brook of Egypt down to the Mediterranean Sea.

6
 “Your western boundary will be the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

7-9
 “Your northern border will begin at the Mediterranean Sea and will proceed eastward to Mount Hor, then to Lebo-Hamath, and on through Zedad and Ziphron to Hazar-enan.

10-11
 “The eastern border will be from Hazar-enan south to Shepham, then on to Riblah at the east side of Ain. From there it will make a large half-circle, first going south and then westward until it touches the southernmost tip of the Sea of Galilee,
12
 and then along the Jordan River, ending at the Dead Sea.”

13
 “This is the territory you are to apportion among yourselves by lot,” Moses said. “It is to be divided up among the nine and one-half tribes,
14-15
 for the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already been assigned land on the east side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.”

16-28
 And the Lord said to Moses, “These are the names of the men I have appointed to handle the dividing up of the land: Eleazar the priest, Joshua (son of Nun), and one leader from each tribe, as listed below:

29
 These are the names of the men I have appointed to oversee the dividing of the land among the tribes.”

35:
1
 While Israel was camped beside the Jordan on the plains of Moab, opposite Jericho, the Lord said to Moses,

2
 “Instruct the people of Israel to give to the Levites as their inheritance certain cities and surrounding pasturelands.
3
 These cities are for their homes, and the surrounding lands for their cattle, flocks, and other livestock.
4-5
 Their gardens and vineyards shall extend 1500 feet out from the city walls in each direction, with an additional 1500 feet beyond that for pastureland.

6
 “You shall give the Levites the six Cities of Refuge, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can run and be safe, and forty-two other cities besides.
7
 In all, there shall be forty-eight cities with the surrounding pastureland given to the Levites.
8
 These cities shall be in various parts of the nation; the larger tribes with many cities will give several to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer.”

9-10
 And the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people that when they arrive in the land,
11
 Cities of Refuge shall be designated for anyone to flee into if he has killed someone accidentally.
12
 These cities will be places of protection from the dead man’s relatives who want to avenge his death; for the slayer must not be killed unless a fair trial establishes his guilt.
13-14
 Three of these six Cities of Refuge are to be located in the land of Canaan, and three on the east side of the Jordan River.
15
 These are not only for the protection of Israelites, but also for foreigners and travelers.

16
 “But if someone is struck and killed by a piece of iron, it must be presumed to be murder, and the murderer must be executed.
17
 Or if the slain man was struck down with a large stone, it is murder, and the murderer shall die.
18
 The same is true if he is killed with a wooden weapon.
19
 The avenger of his death shall personally kill the murderer when he meets him.
20
 So if anyone kills another out of hatred by throwing something at him, or ambushing him,
21
 or angrily striking him with his fist so that he dies, he is a murderer; and the murderer shall be executed by the avenger.

22-23
 “But if it is an accident—a case in which something is thrown unintentionally, or in which a stone is thrown without anger, without realizing it will hit anyone, and without wanting to harm an enemy—yet the man dies,
24
 then the people shall judge whether or not it was an accident, and whether or not to hand the killer over to the avenger of the dead man.
25
 If it is decided that it was accidental, then the people shall save the killer from the avenger; the killer shall be permitted to stay in the City of Refuge; and he must live there until the death of the High Priest.

26
 “If the slayer leaves the city,
27
 and the avenger finds him outside and kills him, it is not murder,
28
 for the man should have stayed inside the city until the death of the High Priest. But after the death of the High Priest, the man may return to his own land and home.
29
 These are permanent laws for all Israel from generation to generation.

30
 “All murderers must be executed, but only if there is more than one witness; no man shall die with only one person testifying against him.
31
 Whenever anyone is judged guilty of murder, he must die—no ransom may be accepted for him.
32
 Nor may a payment be accepted from a refugee in a City of Refuge, permitting him to return to his home before the death of the High Priest.
33
 In this way the land will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for murder except by the execution of the murderer.
34
 You shall not defile the land where you are going to live, for I, Jehovah, will be living there.”

Luke 5:12-28

One day in a certain village he was visiting, there was a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell to the ground before him, face downward in the dust, begging to be healed.

“Sir,” he said, “if you only will, you can clear me of every trace of my disease.”

13
 Jesus reached out and touched the man and said,
“Of course I will. Be healed.”
And the leprosy left him instantly!
14
 Then Jesus instructed him to go at once without telling anyone what had happened and be examined by the Jewish priest.
“Offer the sacrifice Moses’ law requires for lepers who are healed,”
he said.
“This will prove to everyone that you are well.”
15
 Now the report of his power spread even faster and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.
16
 But he often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

17
 One day while he was teaching, some Jewish religious leaders
*
and teachers of the Law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was upon him.

18-19
 Then—look! Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus but couldn’t reach him. So they went up on the roof above him, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his sleeping mat, right in front of Jesus.

20
 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man,
“My friend, your sins are forgiven!”

21
 “Who does this fellow think he is?” the Pharisees and teachers of the Law exclaimed among themselves. “This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?”

22
 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he replied,
“Why is it blasphemy?
23-24
 
I, the Messiah,
*
have the authority on earth to forgive sins. But talk is cheap—anybody could say that. So I’ll prove it to you by healing this man.”
Then, turning to the paralyzed man, he commanded,
“Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed!”

25
 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home praising God!
26
 Everyone present was gripped with awe and fear. And they praised God, remarking over and over again, “We have seen strange things today.”

27
 Later on as Jesus left the town he saw a tax collector—with the usual reputation for cheating—sitting at a tax collection booth. The man’s name was Levi. Jesus said to him,
“Come and be one of my disciples!”
28
 So Levi left everything, sprang up, and went with him.

Psalm 65:1-13

O God in Zion, we wait before you in silent praise, and thus fulfill our vow. And because you answer prayer, all mankind will come to you with their requests.
3
 Though sins fill our hearts, you forgive them all.
4
 How greatly to be envied are those you have chosen to come and live with you within the holy tabernacle courts! What joys await us among all the good things there.
5
 With dread deeds and awesome power you will defend us from our enemies,
*
O God who saves us. You are the only hope of all mankind throughout the world and far away upon the sea.

6
 He formed the mountains by his mighty strength.
7
 He quiets the raging oceans and all the world’s clamor.
8
 In the farthest corners of the earth the glorious acts of God shall startle everyone. The dawn and sunset shout for joy!
9
 He waters the earth to make it fertile. The rivers of God will not run dry! He prepares the earth for his people and sends them rich harvests of grain.
10
 He waters the furrows with abundant rain. Showers soften the earth, melting the clods and causing seeds to sprout across the land.
11-12
 Then he crowns it all with green, lush pastures in the wilderness; hillsides blossom with joy.
13
 The pastures are filled with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. All the world shouts with joy and sings.