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Sat 2023-05-13 Exodus18 Luke21 Job36 2 Corinthians6
Exodus 18.
18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
18:2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her
18:3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land";
18:4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."
18:5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God.
18:6 Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."
18:7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.
18:8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them.
18:9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.
18:10 He said, "Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly."
18:12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.
18:13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
18:14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"
18:15 Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will.
18:16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."
18:17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good.
18:18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
18:19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
18:20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.
18:21 But select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
18:22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.
18:23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."
18:24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
18:25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
18:26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.
18:27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.
Luke 21.
21:1 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
21:3 "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
21:4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
21:5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said,
21:6 "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
21:7 "Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
21:8 He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them.
21:9 When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
21:10 Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
21:12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
21:13 This will result in your being witnesses to them.
21:14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
21:15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
21:17 All men will hate you because of me.
21:18 But not a hair of your head will perish.
21:19 By standing firm you will gain life.
21:20 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.
21:21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
21:22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
21:23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
21:24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
21:25 "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
21:26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
21:28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
21:29 He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
21:30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.
21:31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
21:32 "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
21:34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
21:35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
21:37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,
21:38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
Job 36.
36:1 Elihu continued:
36:2 "Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God's behalf.
36:3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
36:4 Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
36:5 "God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
36:6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights.
36:7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
36:8 But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction,
36:9 he tells them what they have done--that they have sinned arrogantly.
36:10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
36:12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
36:13 "The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
36:14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.
36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
36:16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
36:17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress?
36:20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.
36:21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
36:22 "God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, 'You have done wrong'?
36:24 Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song.
36:25 All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar.
36:26 How great is God--beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
36:27 "He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams;
36:28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
36:29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
36:30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
36:31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
36:32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
2 Corinthians 6.
6:1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
6:2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
6:3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
6:5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
6:6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
6:7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
6:8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
6:9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;
6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.
6:12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.
6:13 As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also.
6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
6:17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
6:18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."