7.31.2013

Today's Bible story

July 31, 2013

Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

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+ Saints: St. Ignatius of Loyola
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=549

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Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

44 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

45 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,

46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

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Exodus 34:29-35

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn't know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.

30 When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.

31 Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.

32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

35 The children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

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* 1 Kings 12:1-19

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt,

3 and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 "Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you."

5 He said to them, "Depart for three days, then come back to me."
The people departed.

6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What counsel do you give me to answer these people?"

7 They replied, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever."

8 But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 He said to them, "What counsel do you give, that we may answer these people, who have spoken to me, saying, 'Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?'"

10 The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;' tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

11 Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, "Come to me again the third day."

13 The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him,

14 and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

15 So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? We don't have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labour; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel rebelled against David's house to this day.

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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.13

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
http://www.biblepath.com/bible_download.html

-----

7.30.2013

Today's Bible story

July 30, 2013

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

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+ Saints: St. Peter Chrysologus
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=546

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Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43

36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field."
37 He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.

39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burnt with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,

42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28

33:7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it "The Tent of Meeting." Everyone who sought the LORD went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.

8 When Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.

9 When Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses.

10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshipped, everyone at their tent door.

11 The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn't depart from the Tent.

34:5 The LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the LORD's name.

6 The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, "The LORD! the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,

7 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation."

8 Moses hurried and bowed his head towards the earth, and worshipped.

9 He said, "If now I have found favour in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go amongst us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."

28 He was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

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* 1 Kings (11:1-4, 26-43)

1 Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;

2 of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Israel, "You shall not go amongst them, neither shall they come amongst you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon joined to these in love.

3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father was.

26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.

27 This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of his father David's city.

28 The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labour of the house of Joseph.

29 At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.

30 Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces.

31 He said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces; for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you

32 (but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);

33 because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.

34 "'However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my servant's sake whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes;

35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to you, even ten tribes.

36 To his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

37 I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.

38 It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.

39 I will afflict the offspring†or, seed of David for this, but not forever.'"

40 Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren't they written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

42 The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

43 Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David's city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.


†11:39: or, seed

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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.13

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
http://www.biblepath.com/bible_download.html

-----

7.29.2013

Today's Bible story

July 29, 2013

Memorial of Saint Martha

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

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+ Saints: St. Martha
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=528

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Gospel: John 11:19-27 or Luke 10:38-42

Gospel: John 11:19-27

19 Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

20 Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.

21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died.

22 Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you."

23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.

26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God's Son, he who comes into the world."

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Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

38 As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me."

41 Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,

42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."

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Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34

15 Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.

16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables.

17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of war in the camp."

18 He said, "It isn't the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear."

19 As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses' anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.

20 He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 Moses said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?"

22 Aaron said, "Don't let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

23 For they said to me, 'Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.'

24 I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them take it off:' so they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."

30 On the next day, Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin."

31 Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin?and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written."

33 The LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34 Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."

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1 John 4:7-16

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.

8 He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.

9 By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice*"atoning sacrifice" is from the Greek "ιλασμο?", an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation?the sacrifice that turns away God's wrath because of our sin. for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Saviour of the world.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.

16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.


*4:10: "atoning sacrifice" is from the Greek "ιλασμο?", an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God's wrath because of our sin.

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* 1 Kings 10:1-13

1 When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the LORD's name, she came to test him with hard questions.

2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.

3 Solomon answered all her questions. There was not anything hidden from the king which he didn't tell her.

4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,

5 the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD's house; there was no more spirit in her.

6 She said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.

7 However I didn't believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.

8 Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom.

9 Blessed is the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness."

10 She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

11 The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees*possibly an Indian sandalwood, with nice grain and a pleasant scent, and good for woodworking and precious stones.

12 The king made of the almug trees pillars for the LORD's house, and for the king's house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen, to this day.

13 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.

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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.13

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
http://www.biblepath.com/bible_download.html

-----

7.28.2013

Today's Bible story

July 28, 2013

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

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+ Saints: St. Victor I, Pope
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=527

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Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

1 When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."

2 He said to them, "When you pray, say,
'Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
Bring us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'"

5 He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,'

7 and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'?

8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

9 "I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he?

13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

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Genesis 18:20-32

20 The LORD said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know."

22 The men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23 Abraham came near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

25 Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"

26 The LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake."

27 Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

28 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?"
He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."

29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?"
He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."

30 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?"
He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."

31 He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?"
He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."

32 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?"
He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."

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Colossians 2:12-14

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

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* 1 Kings 8:22-34, 54-61

22 Solomon stood before the LORD's altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven;

23 and he said, "LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;

24 who has kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

25 Now therefore, may LORD, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail from you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.'

26 "Now therefore, God of Israel, please let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David my father.

27 But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

28 Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for his supplication, LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you today;

29 that your eyes may be open towards this house night and day, even towards the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there;' to listen to the prayer which your servant prays towards this place.

30 Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray towards this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

31 "If a man sins against his neighbour, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house;

32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

33 "When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray and make supplication to you in this house;

34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers.

54 It was so, that when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the LORD's altar, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread out towards heaven.

55 He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,

56 "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant.

57 May the LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us or forsake us;

58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.

59 Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day requires;

60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD himself is God. There is no one else.

61 "Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as it is today."

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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Luke.11

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.27.2013

Today's Bible story

July 27, 2013

Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

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+ Saints:
Blessed Mary Magdalen Martinengo
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=314
St. Panteleon
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=548

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Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30

24 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds*darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the difference becomes very apparent. also amongst the wheat, and went away.

26 But when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also.

27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?'

28 "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'

29 "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

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Exodus 24:3-8

3 Moses came and told the people all the LORD's words, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, "All the words which the LORD has spoken will we do."

4 Moses wrote all the LORD's words, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

5 He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to the LORD.

6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

7 He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, "All that the LORD has spoken will we do, and be obedient."

8 Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all these words."

=====

* 1 Kings 8:1-21

1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, with all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' households of the children of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant out of David's city, which is Zion.

2 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

3 All the elders of Israel came, and the priests picked up the ark.

4 They brought up the LORD's ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent. The priests and the Levites brought these up.

5 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.

6 The priests brought in the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the cherubim's wings.

7 For the cherubim spread their wings out over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.

8 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary; but they were not seen outside. They are there to this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 It came to pass, when the priests had come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the LORD's house,

11 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the LORD's glory filled the LORD's house.

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

13 I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place for you to dwell in forever."

14 The king turned his face around, and blessed all the assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel stood.

15 He said, "Blessed is the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David your father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

16 'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'

17 "Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

18 But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.'

20 The LORD has established his word that he spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

21 There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the LORD's covenant, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.13

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.26.2013

Today's Bible story

July 26, 2013

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

-----

+ Saints:
Blessed William Ward
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=434
Sts. Anne and Joachim
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=313

-----

Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23

18 "Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.

19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;

21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

22 What was sown amongst the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty."

-----

Exodus 20:1-17

1 God*After "God", the Hebrew has the two letters "Aleph Tav" (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet), not as a word, but as a grammatical marker. spoke all these words, saying,

2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 "You shall have no other gods before me.

4 "You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5 you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

6 and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 You shall labour six days, and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;

11 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

12 "Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

13 "You shall not murder.

14 "You shall not commit adultery.

15 "You shall not steal.

16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's."


*20:1: After "God", the Hebrew has the two letters "Aleph Tav" (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet), not as a word, but as a grammatical marker.

=====

* 1 Kings 3:5-28)

5 In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask for what I should give you."

6 Solomon said, "You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.

7 Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don't know how to go out or come in.

8 Your servant is amongst your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can't be numbered or counted for multitude.

9 Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?"

10 This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;

12 behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.

13 I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that there will not be any amongst the kings like you for all your days.

14 If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."

15 Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the LORD's covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

16 Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.

17 The one woman said, "Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.

18 The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.

19 This woman's child died in the night, because she lay on it.

20 She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore."

22 The other woman said, "No; but the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son."
The first one said, "No; but the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son." Thus they spoke before the king.

23 Then the king said, "One says, 'This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead;' and the other says, 'No; but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'"

24 The king said, "Get me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king.

25 The king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other."

26 Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill him!"
But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him."

27 Then the king answered, "Give her the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother."

28 All Israel heard of the judgement which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
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☆Douay-Rheims Bible
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★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
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FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.25.2013

Today's Bible story

July 25, 2013

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

-----

+ Saints: St. James
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=547

-----

Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.

21 He said to her, "What do you want?"
She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom."

22 But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?"
They said to him, "We are able."

23 He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.

25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

26 It shall not be so amongst you, but whoever desires to become great amongst you shall be**TR reads "let him be" instead of "shall be" your servant.

27 Whoever desires to be first amongst you shall be your bondservant,

28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."


**20:26: TR reads "let him be" instead of "shall be"

-----

2 Corinthians 4:7-15

7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death works in us, but life in you.

13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke."☆Psalm 116:10 We also believe, and therefore also we speak;

14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.


☆4:13: Psalm 116:10

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* 2 Corinthians 4:1-16

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.

2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

3 Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;

4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

5 For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake;

6 seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness,"☆Genesis 1:3 who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death works in us, but life in you.

13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke."☆Psalm 116:10 We also believe, and therefore also we speak;

14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.


☆4:6: Genesis 1:3

☆4:13: Psalm 116:10

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.20

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
http://www.biblepath.com/bible_download.html

-----

7.24.2013

Today's Bible story

July 24, 2013

Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

-----

+ Saints: St. Charbel Makhlouf
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=534

-----

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.

2 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.

3 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow.

4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.

5 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.

6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.

7 Others fell amongst thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.

8 Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15

1 They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

2 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;

3 and the children of Israel said to them, "We wish that we had died by the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, 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 will rain bread from the sky 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 It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."

9 Moses said to Aaron, "Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your murmurings.'"

10 As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, they looked towards the wilderness, and behold, the LORD's glory appeared in the cloud.

11 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12 "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and 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 the dew lay around the camp.

14 When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.

15 When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."

=====

* 1 Chronicles (22:5-19)

5 David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it." So David prepared abundantly before his death.

6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.

7 David said to Solomon his son, "As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.

8 But the LORD's word came to me, saying, 'You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9 Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

10 He shall build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.'

11 Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and prosper you, and build the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you.

12 May the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of the LORD your God.

13 Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid, and don't be dismayed.

14 Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the LORD's house one hundred thousand talents* of gold, one million talents† of silver, and brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.

15 There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skilful in every kind of work;

16 of the gold, the silver, the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the LORD be with you."

17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

18 "Isn't the LORD your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

19 Now set your heart and your soul to follow the LORD your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the LORD's covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the LORD's name."


*22:14: A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 100,000 talents is about 3 metric tonnes

†22:14: about 30,000 metric tonnes

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.13

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.23.2013

Today's Bible story

July 23, 2013

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

-----

+ Saints:
St. Bridget of Sweden
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=526
St. John Cassian
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=694

-----

Gospel: Matthew 12:46-50

46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

47 One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."

48 But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!

50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother."

-----

Exodus 14:21—15:1

14:21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 In the morning watch, the LORD looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.

25 He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, "Let's flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians!"

26 The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen."

27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. The LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.

28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.

29 But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

31 Israel saw the great work which the LORD did to the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD, and in his servant Moses.

15:1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said,
"I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously.
The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

-----

Exodus 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17

8 With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up.
The floods stood upright as a heap.
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, 'I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder.
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

10 You blew with your wind.
The sea covered them.
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

12 You stretched out your right hand.
The earth swallowed them.

17 You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance,
the place, LORD, which you have made for yourself to dwell in;
the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.

-----

* 2 Samuel24:1-4, 10-18, 24b-25

24:1 Again the LORD's anger burnt against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, "Go, count Israel and Judah."

2 The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, "Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the sum of the people."

3 Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

4 Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

10 David's heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, the LORD, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly."

11 When David rose up in the morning, the LORD's word came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

12 "Go and speak to David, 'the LORD says, "I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you."'"

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me."

14 David said to Gad, "I am in distress. Let us fall now into the LORD's hand; for his mercies are great. Let me not fall into man's hand."

15 So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and seventy thousand men died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba.

16 When the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough. Now withdraw your hand." the LORD's angel was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father's house."

18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, "Go up, build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

24b "No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels* of silver.

25 David built an altar to the LORD there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.

*24:24: a shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 50 shekels is about 0.5 kilograms or 1.1 pounds.

-----

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http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Gen.1

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.22.2013

Today's Bible story

July 22, 2013

Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

-----

+ Saints: St. Mary Magdalene
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=309

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Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.

2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have laid him!"

11 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,

12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 They told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they have laid him."

14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?"
She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned and said to him, "Rabboni!"* which is to say, "Teacher!"†

17 Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.


*20:16: Rabboni is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for "great teacher."

†20:16: or, Master

-----

Exodus 14:5-18

5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"

6 He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him;

7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all them.

8 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.

9 The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

10 When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.

11 They said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?

12 Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."

13 Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.

14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still."

15 Yahweh said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.

16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.

17 Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.

18 The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his

-----

Exodus 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6

1bc and said,

"I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.
The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

2 Yah is my strength and song.
He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him;
my father's God, and I will exalt him.

3 Yahweh is a man of war.
Yahweh is his name.

4 He has cast Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea.
His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

5 The deeps cover them.
They went down into the depths like a stone.

6 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power.
Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.

-----

( Song of Solomon 3:1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 )

Song of Solomon 3:1-4a

1 By night on my bed,
I sought him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but I didn't find him.

2 I will get up now, and go about the city;
in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but I didn't find him.

3 The watchmen who go about the city found me;
"Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"

4a I had scarcely passed from them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.


or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.

15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.

16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold,* all things have become new.


*5:17: "Behold", from "?δο?", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

-----

* 2 Samuel18:6-17, 24-19:5

18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

7 The people of Israel were struck there before David's servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Absalom happened to meet David's servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

10 A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."

11 Joab said to the man who told him, "Behold, you saw it, and why didn't you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash."

12 The man said to Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn't stretch out my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.'

13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me."

14 Then Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this with you." He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the middle of the oak.

15 Ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.

16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.

17 They took Absalom and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

25 The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." He came closer and closer.

26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, "Behold, a man running alone!"
The king said, "He also brings news."

27 The watchman said, "I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok."
The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."

28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, "All is well." He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!"

29 The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?"
Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don't know what it was."

30 The king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." He turned aside, and stood still.

31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, "News for my lord the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you."

32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?"
The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is."

33 The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!"

19:1 Joab was told, "Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom."

2 The victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son."

3 The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!"

5 Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Gen.1

FREE King James Version Bible Download.
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-----

7.21.2013

Today's Bible story

July 21, 2013

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Luke.10

-----

+ Saints: St. Lawrence of Brindisi
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=543

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Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

38 As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me."

41 Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,

42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."

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Genesis 18:1-10a

1 The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,

3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.

4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

5 I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant."
They said, "Very well, do as you have said."

6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly prepare three seahs* of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."

7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

9 They asked him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?"
He said, "See, in the tent."

10a He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son."

-----

Colossians 1:24-28

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly;

25 of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me towards you, to fulfil the word of God,

26 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery amongst the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

-----

* 2 Samuel 15:7-14, 24-30, 16:5-13

15:7 At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

8 For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, 'If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'"

9 The king said to him, "Go in peace."
So he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!'"

11 Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn't know anything.

12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 A messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom."

14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

24 Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God's ark; and Abiathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city.

25 The king said to Zadok, "Carry God's ark back into the city. If I find favour in the LORD's eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation;

26 but if he says, 'I have no delight in you;' behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him."

27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

28 Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."

29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God's ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there.

30 David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

16:5 When king David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul's house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came.

6 He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7 Shimei said when he cursed, "Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and base fellow!

8 The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul's house, in whose place you have reigned! the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!"

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

10 The king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David;' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

11 David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him.

12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today."

13 So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

-----

7.20.2013

Today's Bible story

July 20, 2013

Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.12

-----

+ Saints: St. Margaret of Antioch
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=307

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Gospel: Matthew 12:14-21

14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

16 and commanded them that they should not make him known:

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18 "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen;
my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased:
I will put my Spirit on him.
He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not strive, nor shout;
neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 He won't break a bruised reed.
He won't quench a smoking flax,
until he leads justice to victory.

21 In his name, the nations will hope."☆Isaiah 42:1-4


☆12:21: Isaiah 42:1-4

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Exodus 12:37-42

37 The children of Israel travelled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, besides children.

38 A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock.

39 They baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt; for it wasn't leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt, and couldn't wait, and they had not prepared any food for themselves.

40 Now the time that the children of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.

41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the day, all of the LORD's armies went out from the land of Egypt.

42 It is a night to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, to be much observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

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* 2 Samuel 12:1-25

1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

3 but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.

4 A traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

5 David's anger burnt hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!

6 He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!"

7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

8 I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

9 Why have you despised the LORD's word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken Uriah the Hittite's wife to be your wife.'

11 "This is what the LORD says: 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

12 For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die."

15 Nathan departed to his house.
The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

16 David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.

17 The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, and he didn't eat bread with them.

18 On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn't listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?"

19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?"
They said, "He is dead."

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD's house, and worshipped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him, and he ate.

21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread."

22 He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?'

23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

24 David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;

25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah,*"Jedidiah" means "loved by Yahweh". for the LORD's sake.


*12:25: "Jedidiah" means "loved by Yahweh".

-----

☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

-----

7.19.2013

Today's Bible story

July 19, 2013

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in OrdinaryTime

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.12

-----

+ Saints: St. Arsenius
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=306

-----

Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8

1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

3 But he said to them, "Haven't you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;

4 how he entered into God's house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ☆1 Samuel 21:3-6

5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?

6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,'☆Hosea 6:6 you would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."


☆12:4: 1 Samuel 21:3-6

☆12:7: Hosea 6:6

-----

Exodus 11:10 — 12:14

11:10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go out of his land.

12:1 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

2 "This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you.

3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household;

4 and if the household is too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbour next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.

5 Your lamb shall be without defect, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:

6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening.

7 They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it.

8 They shall eat the meat in that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs.

9 Don't eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts.

10 You shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire.

11 This is how you shall eat it: with your belt on your waist, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's Passover.

12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the LORD.

13 The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.

-----

* 2 Samuel 11:1-17, 26-27

1 At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

2 At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.

3 David sent and enquired after the woman. One said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite's wife?"

4 David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

6 David sent to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

8 David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." Uriah departed out of the king's house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and didn't go down to his house.

10 When they had told David, saying, "Uriah didn't go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey? Why didn't you go down to your house?"

11 Uriah said to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!"

12 David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

13 When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn't go down to his house.

14 In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 He wrote in the letter, saying, "Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die."

16 When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David's servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

26 When Uriah's wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/

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