DEUTERONOMY 19:15-21
CONCERNING WITNESSES
15 “One witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime; at least two witnesses are necessary to prove that someone is guilty.
16 If any of you try to harm another by false accusations,
17 both of you are to go to the one place of worship and be judged by the priests and judges who are then in office.
18 The judges will investigate the case thoroughly; and if you have made a false accusation,
19 you are to receive the punishment the accused would have received. In this way your nation will get rid of this evil.
20 Then everyone else will hear what happened; they will be afraid, and no one will ever again do such an evil thing.
21 In such cases show no mercy; the punishment is to be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.
ACTS 21:27-36
PAUL ARRESTED IN THE TEMPLE
27 But just when the seven days were about to come to an end, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul.
28 “People of Israel!” they shouted. “Help! This is the man who goes everywhere teaching everyone against the people of Israel, the Law of Moses, and this Temple. And now he has even brought some Gentiles into the Temple and defiled this holy place!”
29 (They said this because they had seen Trophimus from Ephesus with Paul in the city, and they thought that Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30 Confusion spread through the whole city, and the people all ran together, grabbed Paul, and dragged him out of the Temple. At once the Temple doors were closed.
31 The mob was trying to kill Paul, when a report was sent up to the commander of the Roman troops that all of Jerusalem was rioting.
32 At once the commander took some officers and soldiers and rushed down to the crowd. When the people saw him with the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 The commander went over to Paul, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked, “Who is this man, and what has he done?”
34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others something else. There was such confusion that the commander could not find out exactly what had happened, so he ordered his men to take Paul up into the fort.
35 They got as far as the steps with him, and then the soldiers had to carry him because the mob was so wild.
36 They were all coming after him and screaming, “Kill him!”
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Deuteronomy 19:1-14 and Acts 21:17-26 Good News Translation
DEUTERONOMY 19:1-14
THE CITIES OF REFUGE
18 The next day Paul went with us to see James; and all the church elders were present.
19 Paul greeted them and gave a complete report of everything that God had done among the Gentiles through his work.
20 After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, “Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law.
21 They have been told that you have been teaching all the Jews who live in Gentile countries to abandon the Law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow the Jewish customs.
22 They are sure to hear that you have arrived. What should be done, then?
23 This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow.
24 Go along with them and join them in the ceremony of purification and pay their expenses; then they will be able to shave their heads. In this way everyone will know that there is no truth in any of the things that they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in accordance with the Law of Moses.
25 But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent them a letter telling them we decided that they must not eat any food that has been offered to idols, or any blood, or any animal that has been strangled, and that they must keep themselves from sexual immorality.”
26 So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.
THE CITIES OF REFUGE
1 “After the Lord your God has destroyed the people whose land he is giving you and after you have taken their cities and houses and settled there,
2-3 divide the territory into three parts, each with a city that can be easily reached. Then any of you that kill will be able to escape to one of them for protection.
4 If you accidentally kill someone who is not your enemy, you may escape to any of these cities and be safe.
5 For example, if two of you go into the forest together to cut wood and if, as one of you is chopping down a tree, the ax head comes off the handle and kills the other, you can run to one of those three cities and be safe.
6 If there were only one city, the distance to it might be too great, and the relative who is responsible for taking revenge for the killing might catch you and angrily kill an innocent person. After all, it was by accident that you killed someone who was not your enemy.
7 This is why I order you to set aside three cities.
8 “When the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he told your ancestors he would, and gives you all the land he has promised,
9 then you are to select three more cities. (He will give you this land if you do everything that I command you today and if you love the Lord your God and live according to his teachings.)
10 Do this, so that innocent people will not die and so that you will not be guilty of putting them to death in the land that the Lord is giving you.
11 “But suppose you deliberately murder your enemy in cold blood and then escape to one of those cities for protection.
12 In that case, the leaders of your own town are to send for you and hand you over to the relative responsible for taking revenge for the murder, so that you may be put to death.
13 No mercy will be shown to you. Israel must rid itself of murderers, so that all will go well.
14 “Do not move your neighbor's property line, established long ago in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
ACTS 21:17-26
PAUL VISITS JAMES
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the believers welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to see James; and all the church elders were present.
19 Paul greeted them and gave a complete report of everything that God had done among the Gentiles through his work.
20 After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, “Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law.
21 They have been told that you have been teaching all the Jews who live in Gentile countries to abandon the Law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow the Jewish customs.
22 They are sure to hear that you have arrived. What should be done, then?
23 This is what we want you to do. There are four men here who have taken a vow.
24 Go along with them and join them in the ceremony of purification and pay their expenses; then they will be able to shave their heads. In this way everyone will know that there is no truth in any of the things that they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in accordance with the Law of Moses.
25 But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent them a letter telling them we decided that they must not eat any food that has been offered to idols, or any blood, or any animal that has been strangled, and that they must keep themselves from sexual immorality.”
26 So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Deuteronomy 18:14-22 and Acts 21:1-16 (Good News Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 18:14-22
THE PROMISE TO SEND A PROPHET
14 Then Moses said, “In the land you are about to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practice divination and look for omens, but the Lord your God does not allow you to do this.
15 Instead, he will send you a prophet like me from among your own people, and you are to obey him.
16 “On the day that you were gathered at Mount Sinai, you begged not to hear the Lord speak again or to see his fiery presence any more, because you were afraid you would die.
17 So the Lord said to me, ‘They have made a wise request.
18 I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command.
19 He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him.
20 But if any prophet dares to speak a message in my name when I did not command him to do so, he must die for it, and so must any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods.’
21 “You may wonder how you can tell when a prophet's message does not come from the Lord.
22 If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and what he says does not come true, then it is not the Lord's message. That prophet has spoken on his own authority, and you are not to fear him.
ACTS 21:1-16
PAUL GOES TO JERUSALEM
THE PROMISE TO SEND A PROPHET
14 Then Moses said, “In the land you are about to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practice divination and look for omens, but the Lord your God does not allow you to do this.
15 Instead, he will send you a prophet like me from among your own people, and you are to obey him.
16 “On the day that you were gathered at Mount Sinai, you begged not to hear the Lord speak again or to see his fiery presence any more, because you were afraid you would die.
17 So the Lord said to me, ‘They have made a wise request.
18 I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command.
19 He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him.
20 But if any prophet dares to speak a message in my name when I did not command him to do so, he must die for it, and so must any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods.’
21 “You may wonder how you can tell when a prophet's message does not come from the Lord.
22 If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and what he says does not come true, then it is not the Lord's message. That prophet has spoken on his own authority, and you are not to fear him.
ACTS 21:1-16
PAUL GOES TO JERUSALEM
1 We said good-bye to them and left. After sailing straight across, we came to Cos; the next day we reached Rhodes, and from there we went on to Patara.
2 There we found a ship that was going to Phoenicia, so we went aboard and sailed away.
3 We came to where we could see Cyprus, and then sailed south of it on to Syria. We went ashore at Tyre, where the ship was going to unload its cargo.
4 There we found some believers and stayed with them a week. By the power of the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
5 But when our time with them was over, we left and went on our way. All of them, together with their wives and children, went with us out of the city to the beach, where we all knelt and prayed.
6 Then we said good-bye to one another, and we went on board the ship while they went back home.
7 We continued our voyage, sailing from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the believers and stayed with them for a day.
8 On the following day we left and arrived in Caesarea. There we stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen as helpers in Jerusalem.
9 He had four unmarried daughters who proclaimed God's message.
10 We had been there for several days when a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea.
11 He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied up his own feet and hands with it, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The owner of this belt will be tied up in this way by the Jews in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.”
12 When we heard this, we and the others there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
13 But he answered, “What are you doing, crying like this and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be tied up in Jerusalem but even to die there for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”
14 We could not convince him, so we gave up and said, “May the Lord's will be done.”
15 After spending some time there, we got our things ready and left for Jerusalem.
16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and took us to the house of the man we were going to stay with—Mnason, from Cyprus, who had been a believer since the early days.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Deuteronomy 18:9-13 and Acts 20:17-38 (Good News Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 18:9-13
WARNING AGAINST PAGAN PRACTICES
9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, don't follow the disgusting practices of the nations that are there.
10 Don't sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars; and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells
11 or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead.
12 The Lord your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance.
13 Be completely faithful to the Lord.”
ACTS 20:17-38
PAUL'S FAREWELL SPEECH TO THE ELDERS OF EPHESUS
17 From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I spent the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
19 With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews.
20 You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes.
21 To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.
22 And now, in obedience to the Holy Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me.
24 But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.
25 “I have gone about among all of you, preaching the Kingdom of God. And now I know that none of you will ever see me again.
26 So I solemnly declare to you this very day: if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.
27 For I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.
28 So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.
29 I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.
30 The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.
31 Watch, then, and remember that with many tears, day and night, I taught every one of you for three years.
32 “And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.
33 I have not wanted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that I have worked with these hands of mine to provide everything that my companions and I have needed.
35 I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’”
36 When Paul finished, he knelt down with them and prayed.
37 They were all crying as they hugged him and kissed him good-bye.
38 They were especially sad because he had said that they would never see him again. And so they went with him to the ship.
WARNING AGAINST PAGAN PRACTICES
9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, don't follow the disgusting practices of the nations that are there.
10 Don't sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars; and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells
11 or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead.
12 The Lord your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance.
13 Be completely faithful to the Lord.”
ACTS 20:17-38
PAUL'S FAREWELL SPEECH TO THE ELDERS OF EPHESUS
17 From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I spent the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
19 With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews.
20 You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes.
21 To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.
22 And now, in obedience to the Holy Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me.
24 But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.
25 “I have gone about among all of you, preaching the Kingdom of God. And now I know that none of you will ever see me again.
26 So I solemnly declare to you this very day: if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.
27 For I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.
28 So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.
29 I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.
30 The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.
31 Watch, then, and remember that with many tears, day and night, I taught every one of you for three years.
32 “And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.
33 I have not wanted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that I have worked with these hands of mine to provide everything that my companions and I have needed.
35 I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’”
36 When Paul finished, he knelt down with them and prayed.
37 They were all crying as they hugged him and kissed him good-bye.
38 They were especially sad because he had said that they would never see him again. And so they went with him to the ship.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Deuteronomy 18:1-8 and Acts 20:13-16 (Good News Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 18:1-8
THE SHARE OF THE PRIESTS
THE SHARE OF THE PRIESTS
1 “The priestly tribe of Levi is not to receive any share of land in Israel; instead, they are to live on the offerings and other sacrifices given to the Lord.
2 They are to own no land, as the other tribes do; their share is the privilege of being the Lord's priests, as the Lord has promised.
3 “Whenever cattle or sheep are sacrificed, the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jaw, and the stomach.
4 They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool.
5 The Lord chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him as priests forever.
6 “Any Levite who wants to may come from any town in Israel to the one place of worship
7 and may serve there as a priest of the Lord his God, like the other Levites who are serving there.
8 He is to receive the same amount of food as the other priests, and he may keep whatever his family sends him.
ACTS 20:13-16
FROM TROAS TO MILETUS
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed off to Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had told us to do this, because he was going there by land.
14 When he met us in Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15 We sailed from there and arrived off Chios the next day. A day later we came to Samos, and the following day we reached Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail on by Ephesus, so as not to lose any time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to arrive in Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost, if at all possible.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and Acts 20:7-12 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 17:14-20
GUIDELINES FOR A KING
GUIDELINES FOR A KING
14 “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’
15 If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
16 “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’
17 The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
18 “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
19 He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees.
20 This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
ACTS 20:7-12
PAUL'S LAST VISIT TO TROAS
7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.
8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps.
9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below.
10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!”
11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left.
12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Deuteronomy 17:1-13 and Acts 20:1-6 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 17:1-13
JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE
JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE
1 “Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the Lord your God, for he detests such gifts.
2 “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant.
3 For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars—the forces of heaven—which I have strictly forbidden.
4 When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,
5 then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death.
6 But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses.
7 The witnesses must throw the first stones, and then all the people may join in. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.
8 “Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose,
9 and present them to the Levitical priests or the judge on duty at that time. They will hear the case and declare the verdict.
10 You must carry out the verdict they announce and the sentence they prescribe at the place the Lord chooses. You must do exactly what they say.
11 After they have interpreted the law and declared their verdict, the sentence they impose must be fully executed; do not modify it in any way.
12 Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the Lord your God must die. In this way you will purge the evil from Israel.
13 Then everyone else will hear about it and be afraid to act so arrogantly.
ACTS 20:1-6
PAUL GOES TO MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA
1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.
2 While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,
3 where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
5 They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.
6 After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Deuteronomy 16:18-22 and Acts 19:21-41 (Good News Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 16:18-22
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
18 “Appoint judges and other officials in every town that the Lord your God gives you. These men are to judge the people impartially.
19 They are not to be unjust or show partiality in their judgments; and they are not to accept bribes, for gifts blind the eyes even of wise and honest men, and cause them to give wrong decisions.
20 Always be fair and just, so that you will occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you and so that you will continue to live there.
21 “When you make an altar for the Lord your God, do not put beside it a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah.
22 And do not set up any stone pillar for idol worship; the Lord hates them.
ACTS 19:21-41
THE RIOT IN EPHESUS
21 After these things had happened, Paul made up his mind to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem. “After I go there,” he said, “I must also see Rome.”
22 So he sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia, while he spent more time in the province of Asia.
23 It was at this time that there was serious trouble in Ephesus because of the Way of the Lord.
24 A certain silversmith named Demetrius made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis, and his business brought a great deal of profit to the workers.
25 So he called them all together with others whose work was like theirs and said to them, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this work.
26 Now, you can see and hear for yourselves what this fellow Paul is doing. He says that hand-made gods are not gods at all, and he has succeeded in convincing many people, both here in Ephesus and in nearly the whole province of Asia.
27 There is the danger, then, that this business of ours will get a bad name. Not only that, but there is also the danger that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to mean nothing and that her greatness will be destroyed—the goddess worshiped by everyone in Asia and in all the world!”
28 As the crowd heard these words, they became furious and started shouting, “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
29 The uproar spread throughout the whole city. The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were traveling with Paul, and rushed with them to the theater.
30 Paul himself wanted to go before the crowd, but the believers would not let him.
31 Some of the provincial authorities, who were his friends, also sent him a message begging him not to show himself in the theater.
32 Meanwhile the whole meeting was in an uproar: some people were shouting one thing, others were shouting something else, because most of them did not even know why they had come together.
33 Some of the people concluded that Alexander was responsible, since the Jews made him go up to the front. Then Alexander motioned with his hand for the people to be silent, and he tried to make a speech of defense.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted together the same thing for two hours: “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
35 At last the city clerk was able to calm the crowd. “Fellow Ephesians!” he said. “Everyone knows that the city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the sacred stone that fell down from heaven.
36 Nobody can deny these things. So then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless.
37 You have brought these men here even though they have not robbed temples or said evil things about our goddess.
38 If Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against anyone, we have the authorities and the regular days for court; charges can be made there.
39 But if there is something more that you want, it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of citizens.
40 For after what has happened today, there is the danger that we will be accused of a riot. There is no excuse for all this uproar, and we would not be able to give a good reason for it.”
41 After saying this, he dismissed the meeting.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
18 “Appoint judges and other officials in every town that the Lord your God gives you. These men are to judge the people impartially.
19 They are not to be unjust or show partiality in their judgments; and they are not to accept bribes, for gifts blind the eyes even of wise and honest men, and cause them to give wrong decisions.
20 Always be fair and just, so that you will occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you and so that you will continue to live there.
21 “When you make an altar for the Lord your God, do not put beside it a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah.
22 And do not set up any stone pillar for idol worship; the Lord hates them.
ACTS 19:21-41
THE RIOT IN EPHESUS
21 After these things had happened, Paul made up his mind to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem. “After I go there,” he said, “I must also see Rome.”
22 So he sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia, while he spent more time in the province of Asia.
23 It was at this time that there was serious trouble in Ephesus because of the Way of the Lord.
24 A certain silversmith named Demetrius made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis, and his business brought a great deal of profit to the workers.
25 So he called them all together with others whose work was like theirs and said to them, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this work.
26 Now, you can see and hear for yourselves what this fellow Paul is doing. He says that hand-made gods are not gods at all, and he has succeeded in convincing many people, both here in Ephesus and in nearly the whole province of Asia.
27 There is the danger, then, that this business of ours will get a bad name. Not only that, but there is also the danger that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to mean nothing and that her greatness will be destroyed—the goddess worshiped by everyone in Asia and in all the world!”
28 As the crowd heard these words, they became furious and started shouting, “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
29 The uproar spread throughout the whole city. The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were traveling with Paul, and rushed with them to the theater.
30 Paul himself wanted to go before the crowd, but the believers would not let him.
31 Some of the provincial authorities, who were his friends, also sent him a message begging him not to show himself in the theater.
32 Meanwhile the whole meeting was in an uproar: some people were shouting one thing, others were shouting something else, because most of them did not even know why they had come together.
33 Some of the people concluded that Alexander was responsible, since the Jews made him go up to the front. Then Alexander motioned with his hand for the people to be silent, and he tried to make a speech of defense.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted together the same thing for two hours: “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
35 At last the city clerk was able to calm the crowd. “Fellow Ephesians!” he said. “Everyone knows that the city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the sacred stone that fell down from heaven.
36 Nobody can deny these things. So then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless.
37 You have brought these men here even though they have not robbed temples or said evil things about our goddess.
38 If Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against anyone, we have the authorities and the regular days for court; charges can be made there.
39 But if there is something more that you want, it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of citizens.
40 For after what has happened today, there is the danger that we will be accused of a riot. There is no excuse for all this uproar, and we would not be able to give a good reason for it.”
41 After saying this, he dismissed the meeting.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Deuteronomy 16:13-17 and Acts 19:11-20 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 16:13-17
THE FESTIVAL OF SHELTERS
12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.
15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.
18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
THE FESTIVAL OF SHELTERS
13 “You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed.
14 This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns.
15 For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.
16 “Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him.
17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.
ACTS 19:11-20
THE SONS OF SCEVA
11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles.12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.
15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.
18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Deuteronomy 16:9-12 and Acts 19:1-10 New Living Translation
DEUTERONOMY 16:9-12
THE HARVEST FESTIVAL
9 “Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest.
10 Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the Lord your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him.
11 This is a time to celebrate before the Lord your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you.
12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.
ACTS 19:1-10
PAUL IN EPHESUS
THE HARVEST FESTIVAL
9 “Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest.
10 Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the Lord your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him.
11 This is a time to celebrate before the Lord your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you.
12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.
ACTS 19:1-10
PAUL IN EPHESUS
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.
2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues[b] and prophesied.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.
9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Deuteronomy 16:1-8 and Acts 18:18-23 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 16:1-8
PASSOVER
PASSOVER
1 “In honor of the Lord your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib, for that was the month in which the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
2 Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the Lord your God at the designated place of worship—the place he chooses for his name to be honored.
3 Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt.
4 Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for those seven days. And when you sacrifice the Passover lamb on the evening of the first day, do not let any of the meat remain until the next morning.
5 “You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of the towns that the Lord your God is giving you.
6 You must offer it only at the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt.
7 Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses. Then you may go back to your tents the next morning.
8 For the next six days you may not eat any bread made with yeast. On the seventh day proclaim another holy day in honor of the Lord your God, and no work may be done on that day.
ACTS 18:18-23
PAUL RETURN TO ANTIOCH
18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.
19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.
20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined.
21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
22 The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Deuteronomy 15:19-23 and Acts 18:1-17 (New International Version)NIV
DEUTERONOMY 15:19-23
THE FIRST BORN ANIMALS
19 Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.
20 Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.
21 If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
22 You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.
23 But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
ACTS 18:1-17
PAUL IN CORINTH
THE FIRST BORN ANIMALS
19 Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.
20 Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.
21 If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
22 You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.
23 But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
ACTS 18:1-17
PAUL IN CORINTH
1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.
8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment.
13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.
15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”
16 So he drove them off.
17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Deuteronomy 15:12-18 And Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)
DEUTERONOMY 15:12-18
TREATMENT OF SERVANTS
12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free.
13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.
14 Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your wine press. Give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.
15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
16 But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you,
17 then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
18 Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hard. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
ACTS 17:16-34
PAUL IN ATHENS
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.
30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
33 At that, Paul left the Council.
34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
TREATMENT OF SERVANTS
12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free.
13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.
14 Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your wine press. Give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.
15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
16 But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you,
17 then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
18 Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hard. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
ACTS 17:16-34
PAUL IN ATHENS
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.
30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
33 At that, Paul left the Council.
34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Deuteronomy 15:1-11 and Acts 17:10-15 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 15:1-11
RELEASE FOR DEBTORS
RELEASE FOR DEBTORS
1 “At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money.
2 This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the Lord’s time of release has arrived.
3 This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you.
4 “There should be no poor among you, for the Lord your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession.
5 You will receive this blessing if you are careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today.
6 The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you.
7 “But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them.
8 Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.
9 Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin.
10 Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
ACTS 17:10-15
PAUL AND SILAS IN BEREA
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.
13 But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble.
14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and Acts 17:1-9 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 14:22-29
THE LAW OF THE TITHE
THE LAW OF THE TITHE
22 “You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year.
23 Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God.
24 “Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe.
25 If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has chosen.
26 When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household.
27 And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.
28 “At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town.
29 Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.
ACTS 17:1-9
PAUL PREACHES IN THESSALONICA
1 Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.
3 He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.”
4 Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.
5 But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.
6 Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.
7 And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
8 The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports.
9 So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Deuteronomy 14:1-21 and Acts 16:25-40 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 14:1-21
CEREMONIALLY CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS
26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.
28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.
33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.
34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!”
36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.
40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
CEREMONIALLY CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS
1 “Since you are the people of the Lord your God, never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead.
2 You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.
3 “You must not eat any detestable animals that are ceremonially unclean.
4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,
5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the addax, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
6 “You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud,
7 but if the animal doesn’t have both, it may not be eaten. So you may not eat the camel, the hare, or the hyrax. They chew the cud but do not have split hooves, so they are ceremonially unclean for you.
8 And you may not eat the pig. It has split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses.
9 “Of all the marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales.
10 You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. They are ceremonially unclean for you.
11 “You may eat any bird that is ceremonially clean.
12 These are the birds you may not eat: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,
13 the kite, the falcon, buzzards of all kinds,
14 ravens of all kinds,
15 the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the seagull, hawks of all kinds,
16 the little owl, the great owl, the barn owl,
17 the desert owl, the Egyptian vulture, the cormorant,
18 the stork, herons of all kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat.
19 “All winged insects that walk along the ground are ceremonially unclean for you and may not be eaten.
20 But you may eat any winged bird or insect that is ceremonially clean.
21 “You must not eat anything that has died a natural death. You may give it to a foreigner living in your town, or you may sell it to a stranger. But do not eat it yourselves, for you are set apart as holy to the Lord your God. “You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
ACTS 16:25-40
PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON (continued)
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.
28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.
33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.
34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!”
36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.
40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Deuteronomy 13:1-18 and Acts 16:16-24 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 13:1-18
WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY
1 “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,
2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—
3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.
4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.
5 The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.
6 “Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.
7 They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.
8 But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.
9 You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.
10 Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery.
11 Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.
12 “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, you may hear
13 that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods you have not known before.
14 In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you,
15 you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
16 Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the open square and burn it. Burn the entire town as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt.
17 Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a large nation, just as he swore to your ancestors.
18 “The Lord your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him.
ACTS 16:16-24
IN PRISON AT PHILIPPI
WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY
1 “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,
2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—
3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.
4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.
5 The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.
6 “Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.
7 They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.
8 But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.
9 You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.
10 Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery.
11 Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.
12 “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, you may hear
13 that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods you have not known before.
14 In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you,
15 you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
16 Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the open square and burn it. Burn the entire town as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt.
17 Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a large nation, just as he swore to your ancestors.
18 “The Lord your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him.
ACTS 16:16-24
IN PRISON AT PHILIPPI
16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.
17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.
20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.
21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.
23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.
24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Deuteronomy 12:29-32 and Acts 16:11-15 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 12:29-32
WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY
29 “When the Lord your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land,
30 do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’
31 You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
32 “So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.
ACTS 16:11-15
IN PHILIPPI: THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA
WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY
29 “When the Lord your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land,
30 do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’
31 You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
32 “So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.
ACTS 16:11-15
IN PHILIPPI: THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA
11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis.
12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there.
14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.
15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Deuteronomy 12:15-28 and Acts 16:6-10 (New Living Translation)
DEUTERONOMY 12:15-28
THE LORD'S CHOSEN PLACE TO WORSHIP
15 “But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the Lord your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer.
16 But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.
17 “But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.
18 You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do.
19 And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
20 “When the Lord your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want.
21 It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the Lord has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you.
22 Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer.
23 But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat.
24 Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water.
25 Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the Lord.
26 “Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the Lord chooses.
27 You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat.
28 Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God.
ACTS 16:6-10
IN TROAS: PAUL VISION
THE LORD'S CHOSEN PLACE TO WORSHIP
15 “But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the Lord your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer.
16 But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.
17 “But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.
18 You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do.
19 And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
20 “When the Lord your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want.
21 It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the Lord has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you.
22 Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer.
23 But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat.
24 Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water.
25 Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the Lord.
26 “Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the Lord chooses.
27 You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat.
28 Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God.
ACTS 16:6-10
IN TROAS: PAUL VISION
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.
7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.
8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”
10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
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