AME Zion Universal Reading November 27th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

19And these are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham; Abraham begot Isaac.20And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to himself for a wife.21And Isaac prayed to the Lord opposite his wife because she was barren, and the Lord accepted his prayer, and Rebecca his wife conceived.22And the children struggled within her, and she said, "If [it be] so, why am I [like] this?" And she went to inquire of the Lord.23And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two kingdoms will separate from your innards, and one kingdom will become mightier than the other kingdom, and the elder will serve the younger.24And her days to give birth were completed, and behold, there were twins in her womb.25And the first one emerged ruddy; he was completely like a coat of hair, and they named him Esau.26And afterwards, his brother emerged, and his hand was grasping Esau's heel, and he named him Jacob. Now Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.27And the youths grew up, and Esau was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, whereas Jacob was an innocent man, dwelling in tents.28And Isaac loved Esau because [his] game was in his mouth, but Rebecca loved Jacob.29Now Jacob cooked a pottage, and Esau came from the field, and he was faint.30And Esau said to Jacob, "Pour into [me] some of this red, red [pottage], for I am faint"; he was therefore named Edom.31And Jacob said, "Sell me as of this day your birthright."32Esau replied, "Behold, I am going to die; so why do I need this birthright?"33And Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day"; so he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.34And Jacob gave Esau bread and a pottage of lentils, and he ate and drank and arose and left, and Esau despised the birthright.

Genesis Chapter 26

1And there was a famine in the land, aside from the first famine that had been in the days of Abraham, and Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Philistines, to Gerar.2And the Lord appeared to him, and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land that I will tell you.3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and I will bless you, for to you and to your seed will I give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father.4And I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and I will give your seed all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will bless themselves by your seed,5Because Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My instructions."

Ephesians 6:10–24 (NLT): The Whole Armor of God

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

23 Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 26

6And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.7And the men of the place asked about his wife, and he said, "She is my sister," because he was afraid to say, "[She is] my wife," [because he said,] "Lest the men of the place kill me because of Rebecca, for she is of comely appearance."8And it came to pass, when he had been there for many days, that Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, looked out of the window, and he saw, and behold, Isaac was jesting with Rebecca his wife.9So Abimelech called Isaac, and he said, "Behold, she is your wife; so how could you have said, 'She is my sister'?" And Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her. '"10And Abimelech said, "What have you done to us? The most prominent of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."11And Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death."12And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found in that year a hundred fold, and the Lord blessed him.

Monday

Revelation 2:1–7 (NLT): The Message to the Church in Ephesus

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:

2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.

7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 26

13And the man became great, and he grew constantly greater until he had grown very great.14And he had possessions of sheep and possessions of cattle and much production, and the Philistines envied him.15And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with earth.16And Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you have become much stronger than we."17And Isaac went away from there, and he encamped in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there.18And Isaac again dug the wells of water which they had dug in the days of his father, Abraham, and the Philistines had stopped them up after Abraham's death; and he gave them names like the names that his father had given them.19And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and they found there a well of living waters.20And the shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds, saying, "The water is ours"; so he named the well Esek, because they had contended with him.21And they dug another well, and they quarreled about it also; so he named it Sitnah.22And he moved away from there, and he dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, and he said, "For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."

Tuesday

Ephesians 3:1–13 (NLT): God’s Mysterious Plan Revealed

When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles … 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.

6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 26

23And he went up from there to Beer sheba.24And the Lord appeared to him on that night and said, "I am the God of Abraham, your father. Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for the sake of Abraham, My servant."25And he built an altar there, and he called in the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there, and Isaac's servants dug a well there.26And Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and a group of his companions and Pichol, his general.27And Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and you sent me away from you?"28And they said, "We have seen that the Lord was with you; so we said: Let there now be an oath between us, between ourselves and you, and let us form a covenant with you.29If you do [not] harm us, as we have not touched you, and as we have done with you only good, and we sent you away in peace, [so do] you now, blessed of the Lord."

Wednesday

Ephesians 4:1–16 (NLT): Unity in the Body

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people.”

9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 26

30So he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank.31And they arose early in the morning, and they swore one to the other, and Isaac escorted them, and they went away from him in peace.32And it came to pass on that day, that Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug, and they said to him, "We have found water."33And he named it Shibah; therefore, the city is named Beer sheba until this very day.34And Esau was forty years old, and he married Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.35And they were a vexation of the spirit to Isaac and to Rebecca.

Genesis Chapter 27

1It came to pass when Isaac was old, and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called Esau his elder son, and he said to him, "My son," and he said to him, "Here I am."2And he said, "Behold now, I have grown old; I do not know the day of my death.3So, now, sharpen your implements, your sword [and take] your bow, and go forth to the field, and hunt game for me.4And make for me tasty foods as I like, and bring them to me, and I will eat, in order that my soul will bless you before I die."5But Rebecca overheard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son, and Esau went to the field to hunt game, to bring [it].6And Rebecca said to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold I have heard your father speaking to Esau your brother, saying,7'Bring me game and make me tasty foods, and I will eat, and I will bless you before the Lord before my death.'8And now my son, hearken to my voice, to what I am commanding you.9Go now to the flock, and take for me from there two choice kids, and I will make them tasty foods for your father, as he likes.10And you shall bring [them] to your father that he may eat, in order that he bless you before his death."11And Jacob said to Rebecca his mother, "Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, whereas I am a smooth man.12Perhaps my father will touch me, and I will appear to him as a deceiver, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing."13And his mother said to him, "On me is your curse, my son. Only hearken to my voice and go, take [them] for me."14So he went, and he took, and he brought [them] to his mother, and his mother made tasty foods, as his father liked.15And Rebecca took the costly garments of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and she dressed Jacob, her younger son.16And the hides of the kids she put on his hands and on the smoothness of his neck.17And she gave the tasty foods and the bread that she had made, into the hand of Jacob her son.18And he came to his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"19And Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you have spoken to me. Please rise, sit down and eat of my game, so that your soul will bless me."20And Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found [it] so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the Lord your God prepared it before me."21And Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come closer, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."22So Jacob drew near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and he said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."23And he did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like the hands of his brother Esau, and he blessed him.24And he said, "Are you [indeed] my son Esau?" And he said, "I am."25And he said, "Serve [it] to me that I may eat of the game of my son, so that my soul will bless you." And he served him, and he ate, and he brought him wine, and he drank.26And his father Isaac said to him, "Please come closer and kiss me, my son."27And he came closer, and he kissed him, and he smelled the fragrance of his garments, and he blessed him, and he said, "Behold, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field, which the Lord has blessed!

Thursday

Ephesians 4:17–27 (NLT): Living as Children of Light

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 27

28And may the Lord give you of the dew of the heavens and [of] the fatness of the earth and an abundance of grain and wine.29Nations shall serve you and kingdoms shall bow down to you; you shall be a master over your brothers, and your mother's sons shall bow down to you. Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed."30And it came to pass, when Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and it came to pass Jacob had just left his father Isaac's presence, that his brother Esau came from his hunt.31And he too had made tasty foods, and he brought [them] to his father, and he said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat of the game of his son, so that your soul will bless me. "32And his father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" And he said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."33And Isaac shuddered a great shudder, and he said, "Who then is the one who hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate of everything while you had not yet come, and I blessed him? He, too, shall be blessed."34When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out a great and bitter cry, and he said to his father, "Bless me too, O my father!"35And he said, "Your brother came with cunning and took your blessing."36And he said, "Is it for this reason that he was named Jacob? For he has deceived me twice; he took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing." And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"37And Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I made him a master over you, and I gave him all his brothers as servants, and I have sustained him with corn and wine; so for you then, what shall I do, my son?"38And Esau said to his father, "Have you [but] one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father." And Esau raised his voice and wept.39And his father Isaac answered and said to him, "Behold, your dwelling place shall be the fat places of the earth and of the dew of the heaven from above.40And you shall live by your sword, and you shall serve your brother, and it will be, when you grieve, that you will break his yoke off your neck."41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, "Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, I will then kill my brother Jacob. "42And Rebecca was told of the words of Esau, her elder son, and she sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and she said to him, "Behold, your brother Esau regrets [his relationship] to you [and wishes] to kill you.43And now, my son, hearken to my voice, and arise, flee to my brother Laban, to Haran.44And you shall dwell with him for a few days until your brother's wrath has subsided.45Until your brother's rage subsides from you, and he forgets what you did to him, and I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of both of you on one day?"46And Rebecca said to Isaac, "I am disgusted with my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth like these, from the daughters of the land, of what use is life to me?"

Genesis Chapter 28

1And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and he commanded him and said to him, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.2Arise, go to Padan aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and take yourself from there a wife of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.3And may the Almighty God bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and you shall become an assembly of peoples.4And may He give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your seed with you, that you may inherit the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham."

Friday

Psalm 91:1–16 (NLT):

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue you from every trap

and protect you from deadly disease.

4 He will cover you with his feathers.

He will shelter you with his wings.

His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

7 Though a thousand fall at your side,

though ten thousand are dying around you,

these evils will not touch you.

8 Just open your eyes,

and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,

if you make the Most High your shelter,

10 no evil will conquer you;

no plague will come near your home.

11 For he will order his angels

to protect you wherever you go.

12 They will hold you up with their hands

so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;

you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.

I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life

and give them my salvation.”

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 28

5And Isaac sent Jacob, and he went to Padan aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebecca, the mother of Jacob and Esau.6And Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan aram, to take himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him, he commanded him, saying, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."7And Jacob listened to his father and his mother, and he went to Padan aram.8And Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were displeasing to his father Isaac.9So Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives as a wife.

Saturday

Isaiah 54:6–17 (NLT):

6 For the Lord has called you back from your grief—

as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”

says your God.

7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,

but with great compassion I will take you back.

8 In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.

But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”

says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah

that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,

so now I swear

that I will never again be angry and punish you.

10 For the mountains may move

and the hills disappear,

but even then my faithful love for you will remain.

My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”

says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

11 “O storm-battered city,

troubled and desolate!

I will rebuild you with precious jewels

and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.

12 I will make your towers of sparkling rubies,

your gates of shining gems,

and your walls of precious stones.

13 I will teach all your children,

and they will enjoy great peace.

14 You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.

Your enemies will stay far away.

You will live in peace,

and terror will not come near.

15 If any nation comes to fight you,

it is not because I sent them.

Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat.

16 “I have created the blacksmith

who fans the coals beneath the forge

and makes the weapons of destruction.

And I have created the armies that destroy.

17 But in that coming day

no weapon turned against you will succeed.

You will silence every voice

raised up to accuse you.

These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;

their vindication will come from me.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 28

7And Jacob listened to his father and his mother, and he went to Padan aram.8And Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were displeasing to his father Isaac.9So Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives as a wife.

Haftarah

Malachi Chapter 1

1The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel in the hand of Malachi.2I loved you, said the Lord, and you said, "How have You loved us?" Was not Esau a brother to Jacob? says the Lord. And I loved Jacob.3And I hated Esau, and I made his mountains desolate and his heritage into [a habitat for] the jackals of the desert.4Should Edom say, "We were poor, but we will return and build the ruins"? So said the Lord of Hosts: They shall build, but I will demolish; and they shall be called the border of wickedness and the people whom the Lord has damned forever.5And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, "The Lord is great beyond the border of Israel."6A son honors a father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My fear? says the Lord of Hosts to you, the priests, who despise My name. But you said, "How have we despised Your Name?"7You offer on My altar defiled food, yet you say, "How have we defiled You?" By your saying, "God's table is contemptible."8When you offer a blind [animal] for a sacrifice, is there nothing wrong? And when you offer a lame or a sick one, is there nothing wrong? Were you to offer it to your governor, would he accept you or would he favor you? says the Lord of Hosts.9And now, will you pray before the Lord that He be gracious to us? This has come from your hand. Will He favor any of you? says the Lord of Hosts.10O that there were even one among you that would close the doors [of the Temple] and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I have no desire in you, says the Lord of Hosts. Neither will I accept an offering from your hand.11For, from the rising of the sun until its setting, My Name is great among the nations, and everywhere offerings are burnt and offered up to My Name; yea, a pure oblation, for My Name is great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.12But you are profaning it by your saying, "The Lord's table is defiled"; and its expression is "Its food is contemptible."13And you say, "Here is a weary one," and you cause it pain, says the Lord of Hosts. And you brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame and the sick. And you bring an offering-will I accept it from your hand? says the Lord.14And cursed is he who deals craftily; although there is a ram in his flock, he vows and sacrifices a blemished one. For I am a great King, says the Lord of Hosts, and My Name is feared among the nations.

Malachi Chapter 2

1And now, to you is this commandment, O priests.2If you do not heed, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My Name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed I have [already] cursed it, for you do not take it to heart.3Behold! I rebuke the seed because of you, and I will scatter dung upon your face-the dung of your festive sacrifices, and it shall take you to itself.4And you shall know that I have sent you this commandment, that My covenant be with Levi, says the Lord of Hosts.5My covenant was with him, life and peace, and I gave them to him [with] fear; and he feared Me, and because of My Name, he was over-awed.6True teaching was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. In peace and equity he went with Me, and he brought back many from iniquity.7For a priest's lips shall guard knowledge, and teaching should be sought from his mouth, for he is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts.

AME Zion Universal Reading November 20th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 23

1And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.2And Sarah died in Kiriath arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her.3And Abraham arose from before his dead, and he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,4"I am a stranger and an inhabitant with you. Give me burial property with you, so that I may bury my dead from before me."5And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,6"Listen to us, my lord; you are a prince of God in our midst; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead. None of us will withhold his grave from you to bury your dead."7And Abraham arose and prostrated himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.8And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your will that I bury my dead from before me, listen to me and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar.9That he may give me the Machpelah (double) Cave, which belongs to him, which is at the end of his field; for a full price let him give it to me in your midst for burial property."10Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying,11"No, my lord, listen to me. I have given you the field, and the cave that is in it, I have given it to you. Before the eyes of the sons of my people, I have given it to you; bury your dead."12And Abraham prostrated himself before the people of the land.13And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "But, if only you would listen to me. I am giving the money for the field; take [it] from me, and I will bury my dead there."14And Ephron replied to Abraham, saying to him,15"My lord, listen to me; a [piece of] land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is it between me and you? Bury your dead."16And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, accepted by the merchant.

Ephesians 2:1–10 (NLT): Made Alive with Christ

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 23

17And so the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, facing Mamre, was established (as Abraham's possession). [This included] the field and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within its entire border around.18[It was] to Abraham as a possession before the eyes of the sons of Heth, in the presence of all who had come within the gate of his city.19And afterwards, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.20And the field and the cave within it were established to Abraham as burial property, [purchased] from the sons of Heth.

Genesis Chapter 24

1And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and the Lord had blessed Abraham with everything.2And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that was his, "Please place your hand under my thigh.3And I will adjure you by the Lord, the God of the heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I dwell.4But you shall go to my land and to my birthplace, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Isaac."5And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not wish to go after me to this land. Shall I return your son to the land from which you came?"6And Abraham said to him, "Beware, lest you return my son back there.7The Lord, God of the heavens, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and Who spoke about me, and Who swore to me, saying, 'To your seed will I give this land' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.8And if the woman will not wish to go after you, you will be absolved of this, my oath; only do not return my son back there."9And the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter.

Monday

1 Timothy 1:1–17 (NLT): Greetings from Paul

This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.

2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

Warnings against False Teachings

3 When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.

5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.

8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

Paul’s Gratitude for God’s Mercy

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

10And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and he went, and all the best of his master was in his hand; and he arose, and he went to Aram naharaim, to the city of Nahor.11And he made the camels kneel outside the city beside the well of water, at eventide, at the time the maidens go out to draw water.12And he said, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please cause to happen to me today, and perform loving kindness with my master, Abraham.13Behold, I am standing by the water fountain, and the daughters of the people of the city are coming out to draw water.14And it will be, [that] the maiden to whom I will say, 'Lower your pitcher and I will drink,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels,' her have You designated for Your servant, for Isaac, and through her may I know that You have performed loving kindness with my master."15Now he had not yet finished speaking, and behold, Rebecca came out, who had been born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, and her pitcher was on her shoulder.16Now the maiden was of very comely appearance, a virgin, and no man had been intimate with her, and she went down to the fountain, and she filled her pitcher and went up.17And the servant ran toward her, and he said, "Please let me sip a little water from your pitcher."18And she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hastened and lowered her pitcher to her hand, and she gave him to drink.19And she finished giving him to drink, and she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they will have finished drinking."20And she hastened, and she emptied her pitcher into the trough, and she ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.21And the man was astonished at her, standing silent, [waiting] to know whether the Lord had caused his way to prosper or not.22Now it came about, when the camels had finished drinking, [that] the man took a golden nose ring, weighing half [a shekel], and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten gold [shekels].23And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there place for us for lodging in your father's house?"24And she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."25And she said to him, "Both straw and fodder are plentiful with us; [there is] also a place to lodge."26And the man kneeled and prostrated himself to the Lord.

Tuesday

1 Timothy 2:1–8 (NLT): Instructions about Worship

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For,

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.

8 In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

27And he said, "Blessed is the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, Who has not forsaken His loving kindness and His truth from my master. As for me, the Lord led me on the road to the house of my master's kinsmen."28And the maiden ran, and she told her mother's house what had happened.29Now Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran to the man outside, to the fountain.30And it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebecca, saying, "So did the man speak to me, " that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing over the camels at the fountain.31And he said, "Come, you who are blessed of the Lord. Why should you stand outside, when I have cleared the house, and a place for the camels?"32So the man came to the house and unmuzzled the camels, and he gave straw and fodder to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.33And [food] was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have spoken my words." And he said, "Speak."34And he said, "I am Abraham's servant.35And the Lord blessed my master exceedingly, and he became great, and He gave him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, man servants and maid servants, camels and donkeys.36And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master after she had become old, and he gave him all that he possesses.37And my master adjured me, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.38Instead, you must go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.'39And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me?'40And he said to me, 'The Lord, before Whom I walked, will send His angel with you and make your way prosper, and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.41You will then be absolved from my oath, when you come to my family, and if they do not give [her] to you, you will be absolved from my oath.'42So I came today to the fountain, and I said, 'O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if You desire to prosper my way upon which I am going43Behold, I am standing by the water fountain. When a maiden comes out to draw [water], I will say to her, 'Please, give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.'44And [if] she will say to me, 'You too may drink, and I will also draw water for your camels,' she is the woman whom the Lord has designated for my master's son.'45I had not yet finished speaking thus in my heart, and behold, Rebecca came out with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me to drink.'46And she hastened and lowered her pitcher from upon her, and she said, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.47And I asked her, and I said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' And I placed the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands.48And I kneeled and prostrated myself to the Lord, and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, Who led me on the true path, to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.49And now, if you will do loving kindness and truth with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left."50And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The matter has emanated from the Lord. We cannot speak to you either bad or good.51Behold Rebecca is before you, take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, as the Lord has spoken."52Now it came to pass when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he prostrated himself on the ground to the Lord.

Wednesday

1 Timothy 3:1–13 (NLT): Leaders in the Church

This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

6 A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

53And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebecca, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother.54And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and they lodged, and they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."55And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us a year or ten [months]; afterwards she will go."56But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my way prosper. Send me away, and I will go to my master."57And they said, "Let us call the maiden and ask her."58And they summoned Rebecca, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."59So they sent away Rebecca their sister and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men.60And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies."61And Rebecca and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rebecca and left.62Now Isaac was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south.63And Isaac went forth to pray in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching.64And Rebecca lifted her eyes, and saw Isaac, and she let herself down from the camel.65And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself.66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.67And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted for [the loss of] his mother.

Thursday

Micah 6:1–8 (NLT): The Lord’s Case against Israel

Listen to what the Lord is saying:

“Stand up and state your case against me.

Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints.

2 And now, O mountains,

listen to the Lord’s complaint!

He has a case against his people.

He will bring charges against Israel.

3 “O my people, what have I done to you?

What have I done to make you tired of me?

Answer me!

4 For I brought you out of Egypt

and redeemed you from slavery.

I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.

5 Don’t you remember, my people,

how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed

and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?

And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,

when I, the Lord, did everything I could

to teach you about my faithfulness.”

6 What can we bring to the Lord?

Should we bring him burnt offerings?

Should we bow before God Most High

with offerings of yearling calves?

7 Should we offer him thousands of rams

and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?

Should we sacrifice our firstborn children

to pay for our sins?

8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,

and this is what he requires of you:

to do what is right, to love mercy,

and to walk humbly with your God.

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

1And Abraham took another wife and her name was Keturah.2And she bore him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Jishbak and Shuah.3And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were Ashurim, Letushim, and Leumim.4And the sons of Midian [were] Ephah and Epher and Enoch and Abida and Elda'ah; all these were the sons of Keturah.5And Abraham gave all that he possessed to Isaac.6And to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from his son Isaac while he [Abraham] was still alive, eastward to the land of the East.7And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life that he lived: one hundred years and seventy years and five years.8And Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people.9And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the Cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which faces Mamre,10The field that Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried.11Now it came to pass after Abraham's death, that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac dwelt near Be'er Lachai Ro'i.

Friday

Psalm 37:1–9 (NLT):

1 Don’t worry about the wicked

or envy those who do wrong.

2 For like grass, they soon fade away.

Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good.

Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

4 Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust him, and he will help you.

6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,

and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,

and wait patiently for him to act.

Don’t worry about evil people who prosper

or fret about their wicked schemes.

8 Stop being angry!

Turn from your rage!

Do not lose your temper—

it only leads to harm.

9 For the wicked will be destroyed,

but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

Psalm 37:37–40 (NLT):

37 Look at those who are honest and good,

for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.

38 But the rebellious will be destroyed;

they have no future.

39 The Lord rescues the godly;

he is their fortress in times of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them,

rescuing them from the wicked.

He saves them,

and they find shelter in him.

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

12Now these are the generations of Ishmael the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, bore to Abraham.13And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names, according to their births: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, and Kedar and Adbe'el and Mibsam,14And Mishma and Dumah and Massa,15Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedmah.16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations.17And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people.18And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Saturday

1 Samuel 3:1–10 (NLT): The Lord Speaks to Samuel

Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”

“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”

Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations.17And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people.18And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Haftarah

I Kings Chapter 1

1And king David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed.2And his servants said to him, "Let them seek for my lord the king a young girl, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and she shall be to him a warmer, and she shall lie in your lap, and it shall be warm for my lord the king."3And they sought a beautiful young girl throughout the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunemitess and brought her to the king.4And the young girl was very beautiful, and she was a warmer to the king, and she ministered to him, but the king did not know her.5And Adoniahu the son of Haggith exalted himself saying: 'I will be king,' and he made for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.6And his father had not angered him all his days saying, "Why have you done so?" And he too was of very handsome appearance, and she bore him after Absalom.7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they helped [by following] after Adoniahu.8And Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mighty men, who were with David, were not with Adoniahu.9And Adoniahu slew sheep and oxen and fatlings, by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside En-Rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the kings servants.10And Nathan the prophet and Benaiahu and the mighty men and his brother, Solomon, he did not call.11And Nathan said to Bath-Sheba, Solomon's mother, saying, "You have surely heard that Adoniahu the son of Haggith has reigned, and our lord, David, did not know [it].12And now come and I shall council you with advice, and you shall save your life and the life of your son Solomon.13Go and come to king David, and you shall say to him, 'Surely, you, my lord the king, did swear to your maid saying that, 'Solomon your son will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne,' Now why did Adoniahu reign?"14Behold, you are talking there with the king, and I shall come in after you and I shall complete your words."15And Bath Sheba came in unto the king, into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunemitess ministered the king.16And Bath-Sheba bowed her head, and prostrated herself unto the king, and the king said, "What is your [wish]?"17And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maid, that, 'Solomon, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'18And now, behold Adoniahu has reigned, and now my lord the king, you did not know.19And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance and he called all the king's sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the general of the army, but Solomon, your servant, he did not call.20And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them, who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.21And [otherwise] when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, and I and my son Solomon shall be [considered] offenders."22And behold, she was still speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came.23And they told the king saying, "Behold, Nathan the prophet." And he came in before the king and he prostrated himself unto the king upon his face, to the ground.24And Nathan said, "My lord the king, did you say 'Adoniahu shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne?'"25For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he called all the King's sons, and the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and behold they eat and drink before him, and they said, "Long live King Adoniahu."26And me, [even] me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Yehoiada and Solomon, your servant, he did not call.27If this matter stems from my lord the king, [I wonder that] you have not informed your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.28And king David answered and said, "Call Bath Sheba to me. And she came before the king and stood before the king.29And he swore and said, "[I swear as] God lives who redeemed my soul from all distress.30Indeed, as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel saying, 'Surely Solomon, your son, shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne in my stead,' surely, so will I do this day."31And Bath-Sheba bowed [her] face to the earth, and she prostrated herself to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live forever."

AME Zion Universal Reading November 13th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 18

1Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot.2And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground.3And he said, "My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant.4Please let a little water be taken, and bathe your feet, and recline under the tree.5And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your hearts; after[wards] you shall pass on, because you have passed by your servant." And they said, "So shall you do, as you have spoken."6And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and he said, "Hasten three seah of meal [and] fine flour; knead and make cakes."7And to the cattle did Abraham run, and he took a calf, tender and good, and he gave it to the youth, and he hastened to prepare it.8And he took cream and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and he placed [them] before them, and he was standing over them under the tree, and they ate.9And they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "Behold in the tent."10And he said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son." And Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, and it was behind him.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years; Sarah had ceased to have the way of the women.12And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have become worn out, will I have smooth flesh? And also, my master is old."13And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Is it really true that I will give birth, although I am old?'14Is anything hidden from the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, at this time next year and Sarah will have a son."

Ephesians 1:15–23 (NLT):

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 18

15And Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you laughed."16And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom, and Abraham went with them to escort them,17And the Lord said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?18And Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the world will be blessed in him.19For I have known him because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord to perform righteousness and justice, in order that the Lord bring upon Abraham that which He spoke concerning him."20And the Lord said, "Since the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and since their sin has become very grave,21I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry, which has come to Me, they have done; [I will wreak] destruction [upon them]; and if not, I will know."22And the men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord.23And Abraham approached and said, "Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?24Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst?25Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?"26And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake."27And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now I have commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.28Perhaps the fifty righteous men will be missing five. Will You destroy the entire city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy if I find there forty-five."29And he continued further to speak to Him, and he said, "Perhaps forty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."30And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."31And he said, "Behold now I have desired to speak to the Lord, perhaps twenty will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty."32And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak yet this time, perhaps ten will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten."33And the Lord departed when He finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Monday

Acts 19:21–31 (NLT):

21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” 22 He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

The Riot in Ephesus

23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24 It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

28 At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. 31 Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 19

1And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom, and Lot saw and arose toward them, and he prostrated himself on his face to the ground.2And he said, "Behold now my lords, please turn to your servant's house and stay overnight and wash your feet, and you shall arise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will stay overnight in the street."3And he urged them strongly, and they turned in to him, and came into his house, and he made them a feast, and he baked unleavened cakes, and they ate.4When they had not yet retired, and the people of the city, the people of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, the entire populace from every end [of the city].5And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, and let us be intimate with them."6And Lot came out to them to the entrance, and he shut the door behind him.7And he said, "My brethren, please do not do evil.8Behold now I have two daughters who were not intimate with a man. I will bring them out to you, and do to them as you see fit; only to these men do nothing, because they have come under the shadow of my roof."9But they said, "Back away." And they said, "This one came to sojourn, and he is judging! Now, we will deal even worse with you than with them." And they pressed hard upon the man Lot, and they drew near to break the door.10And the men stretched forth their hands, and they brought Lot to them to the house, and they shut the door.11And the men who were at the entrance of the house they struck with blindness, both small and great, and they toiled in vain to find the entrance.12And the men said to Lot, "Whom else do you have here? A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take out of the place.13For we are destroying this place, because their cry has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it."14So Lot went forth and spoke to his sons-in-law, the suitors of his daughters, and he said, "Arise, go forth from this place, for the Lord is destroying the city," but he seemed like a comedian in the eyes of his sons-in-law.15And as the dawn rose, the angels pressed Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you perish because of the iniquity of the city."16But he tarried, and the men took hold of his hand and his wife's hand, and the hand of his two daughters, out of the Lord's pity for him, and they took him out and placed him outside the city.17And it came to pass, when they took them outside, that he said, "Flee for your life, do not look behind you, and do not stand in the entire plain. Flee to the mountain, lest you perish."18And Lot said to them, "Please, do not, O Lord.19Behold now, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and You have increased Your kindness, which You have done with me, to sustain my soul. But I cannot flee to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I die.20Behold now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small. Let me please flee there. Is it not small? And my soul will survive."

Tuesday

Acts 19:32–20:1 (NLT):

32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. 34 But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. 36 Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

38 “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. 39 And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. 40 I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” 41 Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.

Chapter 20

Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece

When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 19

21And he said to him, "Behold I have favored you also as regards this matter, that I will not overturn the city that you have mentioned.22Hasten, flee there, for I will not be able to do anything until you arrive there." Therefore, he named the city Zoar.23The sun came out upon the earth, and Lot came to Zoar.24And the Lord caused to rain down upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire, from the Lord, from heaven.25And He turned over these cities and the entire plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the vegetation of the ground.26And his wife looked from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.27And Abraham arose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.28And he looked over the face of Sodom and Gomorrah and over the entire face of the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the earth had risen like the smoke of a furnace.29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and He sent Lot out of the midst of the destruction when He overturned the cities in which Lot had dwelt.30And Lot went up from Zoar, and he dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters were with him, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; so he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.31And the elder said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man on earth to come upon us, as is the custom of all the earth.32Come, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him, and let us bring to life seed from our father."33And they gave their father wine to drink on that night, and the elder came and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up.34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the elder said to the younger, "Behold, last night I lay with my father. Let us give him wine to drink tonight too, and come, lie with him, and let us bring to life seed from our father."35So they gave their father to drink on that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up.36And Lot's two daughters conceived from their father.37And the elder bore a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of Moab until this day.38And the younger, she too bore a son, and she named him Ben-ami; he is the father of the children of Ammon until this day.

Genesis Chapter 20

1And Abraham traveled from there to the land of the south, and he dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar.2And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister," and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.3And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and He said to him, "Behold you are going to die because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a married woman."4And Abimelech had not come near to her, and he said, "O Lord, will You kill even a righteous nation?5Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she said, 'He is my brother.' With the innocence of my heart and with the purity of my hands have I done this."6And God said to him in a dream, "I too know that you did this with the innocence of your heart, and I too have withheld you from sinning to Me; therefore, I did not let you touch her.7And now, return the man's wife, because he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and [you will] live; but if you do not return [her], know that you will surely die, you and all that is yours."8And Abimelech arose early in the morning, and he summoned all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears; and the men were very frightened.9And Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us, and what have I sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Deeds that are not done, you have done to me."10And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you did this thing?"11And Abraham said, "For I said, 'Surely, there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.12And also, indeed, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.13And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her: This is your kindness, which you shall do with me: whither we come, say about me, 'He is my brother.'"14And Abimelech took flocks and cattle and menservants and maidservants, and he gave [them] to Abraham, and he restored to him his wife Sarah.15And Abimelech said, "Here is my land before you; wherever it pleases you, you may dwell."16And to Sarah he said, "Behold I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother; behold it is to you a covering of the eyes for all who are with you, and with all you shall contend."17And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his handmaids, and they gave birth.18For the Lord had shut every womb of Abimelech's household, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis Chapter 21

1And the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken.2And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him.3And Abraham named his son who had been born to him, whom Sarah had borne to him, Isaac.4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Wednesday

Acts 20:17–35 (NLT):

17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 21

5And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him.6And Sarah said, "God has made joy for me; whoever hears will rejoice over me."7And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, for I have borne a son to his old age!"8And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, making merry.10And Sarah said to Abraham, "Drive out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac."11But the matter greatly displeased Abraham, concerning his son.12And God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased concerning the lad and concerning your handmaid; whatever Sarah tells you, hearken to her voice, for in Isaac will be called your seed.13But also the son of the handmaid I will make into a nation, because he is your seed."14And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he took bread and a leather pouch of water, and he gave [them] to Hagar, he placed [them] on her shoulder, and the child, and he sent her away; and she went and wandered in the desert of Beer sheba.15And the water was depleted from the leather pouch, and she cast the child under one of the bushes.16And she went and sat down from afar, at about the distance of two bowshots, for she said, "Let me not see the child's death." And she sat from afar, and she raised her voice and wept.17And God heard the lad's voice, and an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What is troubling you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the lad's voice in the place where he is.18Rise, pick up the lad and grasp your hand upon him, for I shall make him into a great nation."19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled the pouch with water and gave the lad to drink.20And God was with the lad, and he grew, and he dwelt in the desert, and he became an archer.21And he dwelt in the desert of Paran, and his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.

Thursday

Psalm 16:1–11 (NLT):

1 Keep me safe, O God,

for I have come to you for refuge.

2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!

Every good thing I have comes from you.”

3 The godly people in the land

are my true heroes!

I take pleasure in them!

4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.

I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood

or even speak the names of their gods.

5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.

You guard all that is mine.

6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land.

What a wonderful inheritance!

7 I will bless the Lord who guides me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I know the Lord is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.

My body rests in safety.

10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead

or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

11 You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 21

22Now it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol his general said to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do.23And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me or to my son or to my grandson; according to the kindness that I have done with you, you shall do with me, and with the land wherein you have sojourned."24And Abraham said, "I will swear."25And Abraham contended with Abimelech about the well of water that the servants of Abimelech had forcibly seized.26And Abimelech said, "I do not know who did this thing, neither did you tell me, nor did I hear [of it] until today. "27And Abraham took flocks and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech, and they both formed a covenant.28And Abraham placed seven ewe lambs by themselves.29And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What are these seven ewe lambs, which you have placed by themselves?"30And he said, "For these seven ewe lambs you shall take from my hand, in order that it be to me for a witness that I dug this well."31Therefore, he named that place Beer sheba, for there they both swore.32And they formed a covenant in Beer-sheba, and Abimelech and Phicol his general arose, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.33And he planted an eishel in Beer-Sheba, and he called there in the name of the Lord, the God of the world.34And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines for many days.

Friday

Joshua 1:1–9 (NLT): The Lord’s Charge to Joshua

After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 22

1And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."2And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you."3And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey, and he took his two young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for a burnt offering, and he arose and went to the place of which God had told him.4On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.5And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder, and we will prostrate ourselves and return to you."6And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and he placed [it] upon his son Isaac, and he took into his hand the fire and the knife, and they both went together.7And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and he said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"8And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they both went together.9And they came to the place of which God had spoken to him, and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and he bound Isaac his son and placed him on the altar upon the wood.10And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son.11And an angel of God called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."12And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.14And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.15And an angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven.16And he said, "By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one,17That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies.18And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice."19And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer sheba; and Abraham remained in Beer sheba.20And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your brother.21Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father of Aram.22And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.23And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.24And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

Saturday

Isaiah 25:1–12 (NLT): Praise for Judgment and Salvation

1 O Lord, I will honor and praise your name,

for you are my God.

You do such wonderful things!

You planned them long ago,

and now you have accomplished them.

2 You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins.

Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble.

Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear

and will never be rebuilt.

3 Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory;

ruthless nations will fear you.

4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,

a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.

You are a refuge from the storm

and a shelter from the heat.

For the oppressive acts of ruthless people

are like a storm beating against a wall,

5 or like the relentless heat of the desert.

But you silence the roar of foreign nations.

As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat,

so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

6 In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

will spread a wonderful feast

for all the people of the world.

It will be a delicious banquet

with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.

7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom,

the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.

8 He will swallow up death forever!

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.

He will remove forever all insults and mockery

against his land and people.

The Lord has spoken!

9 In that day the people will proclaim,

“This is our God!

We trusted in him, and he saved us!

This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.

Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”

10 For the Lord’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem.

But Moab will be crushed.

It will be like straw trampled down and left to rot.

11 God will push down Moab’s people

as a swimmer pushes down water with his hands.

He will end their pride

and all their evil works.

12 The high walls of Moab will be demolished.

They will be brought down to the ground,

down into the dust.

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 22

20And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your brother.

21Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father of Aram.

22And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

24And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

Haftarah

II Kings Chapter 4

1Now a woman, of the wives of the disciples of the prophets, cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant, my husband, has died, and you know that your servant did fear the Lord; and the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves."

2And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me what you have in the house." And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing at all in the house except a jug of oil."

3And he said, "Borrow vessels for yourself from outside, from all your neighbors; do not borrow only a few empty vessels.

4And you shall come and close the door about yourself and about your sons, and you shall pour upon all these vessels; and the full one you shall carry away."

5And she went away from him and closed the door about herself and about her sons; they were bringing [vessels] to her and she was pouring.

6And it was when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel," and he said to her, "There is no other vessel." And the oil stopped.

7And she came and told the man of God: and he said, "Go sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons will live with the remainder."

8And it was that day that Elisha went as far as Shunem, and there was a prominent woman who prevailed upon him to eat a meal; and it was, whenever he would pass, he would stop there to eat a meal.

9And she said to her husband, "Behold now I know that he is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

10Now let us make a small walled upper chamber, and place there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp; and it will be that when he comes to us, he will turn into there.

11And it was one day that he went there, that he turned into the upper chamber and lay down there.

12And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunemitess;" and he called her, and she stood before him.

13And he said to him, "Please say to her, 'Behold you have busied yourself on our account with all this trouble. What is there to do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or to the general of the army?' " And she said, "I dwell in the midst of my people."

14And he said, "Now what can we do for her? " And Gehazi said, "Indeed, she has no son, and her husband is old."

15And he said, "Summon her," and he summoned her, and she stood at the doorway.

16And he said, "At this time next year, when you will be alive like now, you will be embracing a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O man of God, do not fail your maidservant."

17And the woman conceived and bore a son, at this time a year later, which Elisha had spoken to her.

18And the child grew up; and it was one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers.

19And he said to his father, "My head! My head!" And he said to the servant, "Carry him to his mother."

20And he carried him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees until noon, and he died.

21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and she closed about him and left.

22And she called her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and one of the she-asses; and I will run up to the man of God and return."

23And he said, "Why are you going to him today; it is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath." And she said, "It's all right."

24And she saddled the she-ass, and she said to her servant, "Drive and go forward. Don't keep back from riding because of me unless I tell you."

25And she went and came to the man of God, to Mt. Carmel; and it was when the man of God saw her from afar, that he said to Gehazi his servant, "Here is that Shunemmitess.

26Now please run toward her, and say to her, 'Are you well? Is your husband well? Is the child well?' " And she said, "We are well."

27And she came to the man of God to the mountain, and she took hold of his feet; and Gehazi approached to push her away. Now the man of God said, "Let her be, for her soul is bitter to her, and the Lord hid it from me and did not tell me."

28And she said, "Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, 'Do not mislead me?' "

29And he said to Gehazi, "Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him: and you shall place my staff on the lad's face."

30And the lad's mother said, "As the Lord lives and by your life, I will not leave you." And he rose and went after her.

31And Gehazi went ahead of them, and he placed the staff on the lad's face, and there was no sound nor any attention; and he returned toward him and told him saying, "The lad has not awakened."

32And Elisha came into the house, and behold the lad was dead, laid out on his bed.

33And he came and closed the door about both of them; and he prayed to the Lord.

34And he went up and lay on the child, and placed his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his palms on his palms, and he prostrated himself upon him: and the child's flesh became warm.

35And he returned and walked in the house once here and once there, and he went up and prostrated himself upon him: and the lad sneezed up to seven times, and the lad opened his eyes.

36And he summoned Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunemmitess." And he called her, and she came to him, and he said, "Pick up your son."

37And she came and fell at his feet and bowed to the ground; and she picked up her son and departed.