Psalm 135 (MT: Psalm 136)

Translation: ESV

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

    for his steadfast love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods,

    for his steadfast love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,

   for his steadfast love endures forever;

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

   for his steadfast love endures forever;

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

7 to him who made the great lights,

   for his steadfast love endures forever;

8 the sun to rule over the day,

   for his steadfast love endures forever;

9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,

   for his steadfast love endures forever;

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

11 and brought Israel out from among them,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

15 but overthrew[a] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 to him who struck down great kings,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

18 and killed mighty kings,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

20 and Og, king of Bashan,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

21 and gave their land as a heritage,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

22 a heritage to Israel his servant,

    for his steadfast love endures forever.

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

24 and rescued us from our foes,

    for his steadfast love endures forever;

25 he who gives food to all flesh,

    for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,

    for his steadfast love endures forever.

Previous Psalm   Book of Psalms   Next Psalm

Psalm 73 (MT: Psalm 74)

Translation: ESV

Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause

A Maskil[a] of Asaph.

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever?

    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,

    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!

    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;

    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;

    they set up their own signs for signs.

5 They were like those who swing axes

    in a forest of trees.[b]

6 And all its carved wood

    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.

7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,

    bringing it down to the ground.

8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;

    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our signs;

    there is no longer any prophet,

    and there is none among us who knows how long.

10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?

    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?

11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?

    Take it from the fold of your garment[c] and destroy them!

12 Yet God my King is from of old,

    working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by your might;

    you broke the heads of the sea monsters[d] on the waters.

14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.

15 You split open springs and brooks;

    you dried up ever-flowing streams.

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;

     you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.

17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;

     you have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs,

    and a foolish people reviles your name.

19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;

    do not forget the life of your poor forever.

20 Have regard for the covenant,

    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;

    let the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, defend your cause;

    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!

23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,

    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

Previous Psalm   Book of Psalms   Next Psalm

Genesis 29

Translation: ESV

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 

Patreon image patron: Antonio Cabrera González
Date: January 13 2022

25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah!

And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

Jacob's Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

Previous Chapter   Book of Genesis   Next Chapter

Isaiah 44

Translation: ESV

Israel the Lord's Chosen

44 “But now hear, O Jacob my servant,

    Israel whom I have chosen!

2 Thus says the Lord who made you,

    who formed you from the womb and will help you:

Fear not, O Jacob my servant,

    Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

    and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,

    and my blessing on your descendants.

4 They shall spring up among the grass

    like willows by flowing streams.

5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’

    another will call on the name of Jacob,

and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’

    and name himself by the name of Israel.”

Besides Me There Is No God

6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel

    and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

“I am the first and I am the last;

    besides me there is no god.

7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.[a]

    Let him declare and set it before me,

since I appointed an ancient people.

    Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

8 Fear not, nor be afraid;

    have I not told you from of old and declared it?

    And you are my witnesses!

Is there a God besides me?

    There is no Rock; I know not any.”

The Folly of Idolatry

9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.

12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.[b] He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”

18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

The Lord Redeems Israel

21 Remember these things, O Jacob,

    and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you; you are my servant;

    O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

    and your sins like mist;

return to me, for I have redeemed you.

23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;

    shout, O depths of the earth;

break forth into singing, O mountains,

    O forest, and every tree in it!

For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,

    and will be glorified[c] in Israel.

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,

    who formed you from the womb:

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

    "I am the Lord, who made all things,

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

    who alone stretched out the heavens,

Patreon image patron: See Genesis 1

     who spread out the earth by myself,

25 who frustrates the signs of liars

    and makes fools of diviners,

who turns wise men back

    and makes their knowledge foolish,

26 who confirms the word of his servant

    and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’

    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,

    and I will raise up their ruins’;

27 who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;

    I will dry up your rivers’;

28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,

    and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;

saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’

    and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

Previous Chapter   Book of Isaiah   Next Chapter

Jeremiah 42

 Translation: ESV

42 Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— 3 that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” 4 Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.”

7 At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land.

Image patron: Kathryn Tussing
Date: January 11 2022

13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God

14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’

15 then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.

18 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. 19 The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’ 21 And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”

Previous Chapter   Book of Jeremiah   Next Chapter

Galatians 5

 Translation: ESV

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Patreon image patron: John Shawler
Date: January 7 2022

17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Previous Chapter   Galatians   Next Chapter

Exodus 16

Translation: ESV

16 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

Patreon image patron: Craig Lehrmann
Date: November 26 2021

3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”


13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. 35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

Previous Chapter   Book of Exodus   Next Chapter