Daily Bible Readings July 31, 2018

2 Samuel 11:1-15 Common English Bible (CEB)

David and Bathsheba

11 In the spring,[a] when kings[b] go off to war, David sent Joab, along with his servants and all the Israelites, and they destroyed the Ammonites, attacking the city of Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening, David got up from his couch and was pacing back and forth on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. 3 David sent someone and inquired about the woman. The report came back: “Isn’t this Eliam’s daughter Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers to get her. When she came to him, he had sex with her. (Now she had been purifying herself after her monthly period.) Then she returned home.5 The woman conceived and sent word to David.

“I’m pregnant,” she said.

6 Then David sent a message to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about the welfare of Joab and the army and how the battle was going. 8 Then David told Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”

Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.9 However, Uriah slept at the palace entrance with all his master’s servants. He didn’t go down to his own house. 10 David was told, “Uriah didn’t go down to his own house,” so David asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just returned from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?”

11 “The chest and Israel and Judah are all living in tents,” Uriah told David. “And my master Joab and my master’s troops are camping in the open field. How[c] could I go home and eat, drink, and have sex with my wife? I swear on your very life,[d] I will not do that!”

12 Then David told Uriah, “Stay here one more day. Tomorrow I’ll send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day. The next day 13 David called for him, and he ate and drank, and David got him drunk. In the evening Uriah went out to sleep in the same place, alongside his master’s servants, but he did not go down to his own home.

¹⁴ The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.¹⁵ He wrote in the letter, “Place Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle, and then pull back from him so that he will be struck down and die.”

Daily Bible Readings July 30, 2018

Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 Common English Bible (CEB)

16 Don’t be too righteous or too wise, or you may be dumbfounded.[a]17 Don’t be too wicked and don’t be a fool, or you may die before your time. 18 It’s good that you take hold of one of these without letting go of the other because the one who fears God will go forth with both.

Footnotes:

1. Ecclesiastes 7:16 Or destroyed

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 28, 2018

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Common English Bible (CEB)

7 I was given a thorn in my body because of the outstanding revelations I’ve received so that I wouldn’t be conceited. It’s a messenger from Satan sent to torment me so that I wouldn’t be conceited.

8 I pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me alone. 9 He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. 10 Therefore, I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 27, 2018

Mark 6:30-34 Common English Bible (CEB)

Jesus feeds five thousand people

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 Many people were coming and going, so there was no time to eat. He said to the apostles, “Come by yourselves to a secluded place and rest for a while.” 32 They departed in a boat by themselves for a deserted place.

33 Many people saw them leaving and recognized them, so they ran ahead from all the cities and arrived before them. 34 When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:53-56 Common English Bible (CEB)

Healings at Gennesaret

53 When Jesus and his disciples had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret, anchored the boat, 54 and came ashore. People immediately recognized Jesus 55 and ran around that whole region bringing sick people on their mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went—villages, cities, or farming communities—they would place the sick in the marketplaces and beg him to allow them to touch even the hem of his clothing. Everyone who touched him was healed.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 26, 2018

Ephesians 2:11-22 Common English Bible (CEB)

The reconciliation of God’s people

11 So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised.12 At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God. 13 But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. 15 He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. 16 He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God.

17 When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. 18 We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. 19 So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. 20 As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord.22 Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 25, 2018

Psalm 89:20-37 Common English Bible (CEB) 20 I discovered my servant David.     I anointed him with my holy oil. 21 My hand will sustain him—     yes, my arm will strengthen him! 22 No enemy will oppress him;     no wicked person will make him suffer. 23 I will crush all his foes in front of him.     I will strike down all those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and my loyal love will be with him.     He will be strengthened by my name. 25 I will set his hand on the sea.     I will set his strong hand on the rivers. 26 He will cry out to me:     “You are my father,     my God, the rock of my salvation.” 27 Yes, I’ll make him the one born first—     I’ll make him the high king of all earth’s kings. 28 I will always guard my loyal love toward him.     My covenant with him will last forever. 29 I will establish his dynasty for all time.     His throne will last as long as heaven does. 30 But if his children ever abandon my Instruction,     stop following my rules—                  stop keeping my commandments— 32     then I will punish their sin with a stick,         and I will punish their wrongdoing with a severe beating. 33 But even then I won’t withdraw my loyal love from him.     I won’t betray my faithfulness. 34     I won’t break my covenant.     I won’t renege on what crossed my lips. 35 By my own holiness I’ve sworn one thing:     I will not lie to David. 36     His dynasty will last forever.     His throne will be like the sun, always before me. 37     It will be securely established forever;     like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky. Selah Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Psalm 89:20-37 Common English Bible (CEB) 20 I discovered my servant David.     I anointed him with my holy oil. 21 My hand will sustain him—     yes, my arm will strengthen him! 22 No enemy will oppress him;     no wicked person will make him suffer. 23 I will crush all his foes in front of him.     I will strike down all those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and my loyal love will be with him.     He will be strengthened by my name. 25 I will set his hand on the sea.     I will set his strong hand on the rivers. 26 He will cry out to me:     “You are my father,     my God, the rock of my salvation.” 27 Yes, I’ll make him the one born first—     I’ll make him the high king of all earth’s kings. 28 I will always guard my loyal love toward him.     My covenant with him will last forever. 29 I will establish his dynasty for all time.     His throne will last as long as heaven does. 30 But if his children ever abandon my Instruction,     stop following my rules—                  stop keeping my commandments— 32     then I will punish their sin with a stick,         and I will punish their wrongdoing with a severe beating. 33 But even then I won’t withdraw my loyal love from him.     I won’t betray my faithfulness. 34     I won’t break my covenant.     I won’t renege on what crossed my lips. 35 By my own holiness I’ve sworn one thing:     I will not lie to David. 36     His dynasty will last forever.     His throne will be like the sun, always before me. 37     It will be securely established forever;     like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky. Selah Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 24, 2018

2 Samuel 7:1-14 Common English Bible (CEB)

God’s promise to David

7 When the king was settled in his palace,[a] and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I’m living in a cedar palace, but God’s chest is housed in a tent!”[b]

3 Nathan said to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you are thinking, because the Lord is with you.”

4 But that very night the Lord’s word came to Nathan: 5 Go to my servant David and tell him: This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build the temple for me to live in. 6 In fact, I haven’t lived in a temple from the day I brought Israel out of Egypt until now. Instead, I have been traveling around in a tent and in a dwelling. 7 Throughout my traveling around with the Israelites, did I ever ask any of Israel’s tribal leaders I appointed to shepherd my people: Why haven’t you built me a cedar temple?

8 So then, say this to my servant David: This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be leader over my people Israel. 9 I’ve been with you wherever you’ve gone, and I’ve eliminated all your enemies before you. Now I will make your name great—like the name of the greatest people on earth.10 I’m going to provide a place for my people Israel, and plant them so that they may live there and no longer be disturbed. Cruel people will no longer trouble them, as they had been earlier, 11 when I appointed leaders over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

And the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make a dynasty for you.12 When the time comes for you to die and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your descendant—one of your very own children—to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a temple for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. Whenever he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod, with blows from human beings.

Daily Bible Readings July 23, 2018

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Common English Bible (CEB)

7 I was given a thorn in my body because of the outstanding revelations I’ve received so that I wouldn’t be conceited. It’s a messenger from Satan sent to torment me so that I wouldn’t be conceited.

8 I pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me alone. 9 He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. 10 Therefore, I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Daily Bible Readings July 22, 2018

Ecclesiastes 8:14 Common English Bible (CEB)

14 Here’s another thing that happens on earth that is pointless: the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. I say that this too is pointless.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Ecclesiastes 8:14 in all English translations

Daily Bible Readings July 21, 2018

Ecclesiastes 8:14 Common English Bible (CEB)

14 Here’s another thing that happens on earth that is pointless: the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. I say that this too is pointless.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Ecclesiastes 8:14 in all English translations