Wednesday, 9 Nissan 5784 / April 17, 2024
Day 473 Readings
Torah: Parshat Metzora, 4th Portion Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:33-53)
Leviticus 14:33-53
English Standard Version
Laws for Cleansing Houses
33 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house.’ 36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean. And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37 And he shall examine the disease. And if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, 38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the disease has spread in the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease and throw them into an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the inside of the house scraped all around, and the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other plaster and plaster the house.
43 “If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, 44 then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a persistent leprous disease in the house; it is unclean. 45 And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them out of the city to an unclean place. 46 Moreover, whoever enters the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening, 47 and whoever sleeps in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes.
48 “But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed. 49 And for the cleansing of the house he shall take two small birds, with cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop, 50 and shall kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water 51 and shall take the cedarwood and the hyssop and the scarlet yarn, along with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the bird that was killed and in the fresh water and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 Thus he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the fresh water and with the live bird and with the cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn. 53 And he shall let the live bird go out of the city into the open country. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.”
BIBLE Study Together
Amos 5:18-7:6
English Standard Version
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, 19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him,or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them;and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
Amos 6
Woe to Those at Ease in Zion
1 “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes! 2 Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory, 3 O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence?
4 “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, 5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, 6 who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!7 Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.”
8 The Lord God has sworn by himself, declares the Lord, the God of hosts:
“I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his strongholds, and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”
9 And if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. 10 And when one's relative, the one who anoints him for burial, shall take him up to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him who is in the innermost parts of the house, “Is there still anyone with you?” he shall say, “No”; and he shall say, “Silence! We must not mention the name of the Lord.”
11 For behold, the Lord commands, and the great house shall be struck down into fragments, and the little house into bits.12 Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there[a] with oxen?But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood[b]—13 you who rejoice in Lo-debar,[c] who say, “Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim[d] for ourselves?”14 “For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord, the God of hosts;“ and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.”
Amos 7
Warning Visions
7 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,
“O Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 3 The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the Lord.
4 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,
“O Lord God, please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!”6 The Lord relented concerning this: “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.
Matthew 26:47-56
English Standard Version
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”[a] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant[b] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
ESV Readings
Scripture
Psalm 107
English Standard Version
Book Five
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So
1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble[a]3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.[b]28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.30 Then they were glad that the waters[c] were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in;37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.
39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes;41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Leviticus 14:1
Isaiah 15
English Standard Version
An Oracle Concerning Moab
15 An oracle concerning Moab.
Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone.2 He has gone up to the temple,[a] and to Dibon, to the high places[b] to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails.On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;3 in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears.4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voice is heard as far as Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembles.5 My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction;6 the waters of Nimrim are a desolation; the grass is withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more.7 Therefore the abundance they have gained and what they have laid upthey carry away over the Brook of the Willows.8 For a cry has gone around the land of Moab; her wailing reaches to Eglaim; her wailing reaches to Beer-elim.9 For the waters of Dibon[c] are full of blood; for I will bring upon Dibon even more,a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land.
Isaiah 16
2 Corinthians 10:13-18
English Standard Version
13 But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. 17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
2 Corinthians 11
2 Corinthians 12:1
Dear AVI,
Blessed are YOU O GOD Most High HOLY is YOUR Name! JESUS thank YOU for the good days I had with our batchmates, highschool reminds me so much of what happiness looks like. Thank YOU for bringing BF Julie and her family to enjoy in Coron, bless their time I pray. I pray that YOU heal JeeLord from all his pain and YOU give me and BF an opportunity to minister to him. Thank YOU for slowly answering my prayers for my family but may David spend time with Mom soon, may he understand how important it is to just win her even though she is being hard. I pray for Mom that she will not play hard to get, but she will bow to YOUR will. I pray that forgiveness and love abound in my family, help us to be united. I pray for Stephen, as I always pray for him at 4am when YOU wake me up that he love and fall in love with me as YOU said he is the man YOU have chosen for me. I thank YOU that my feelings for him has lessened as I wait upon YOUR promise to come to pass. But I will not give up praying for him because I want to endure in the wait and in prayers, because this is how I stand in YOUR Promise and this is how I fight until I enter the Promise, so LORD, I am not shrinking back. I am fighting even though it seems so impossible in my human perspective that this man could love me. I am just believing in YOU even though what YOU said is unbelievable. I am just believing and playing the fool once again because YOU are my GOD and I am just foolish sheep. So help me GOD to pursue doing my best at work, in the ministry and in what I want to do. Please help me to focus on these things until a man actually loves me for who I am. Help Stephen to take away his mask, his walls, his fears, I pray YOU will move in his heart and cause him to take risks in love. I pray he will not fear rejection and be strong enough to love. I pray that he will answer YOUR call to follow YOU and that YOU fill him with the HOLY SPIRIT. I pray the same for Daniel because YOU put him in BF's heart, then do something in Daniel O GOD, please O GOD give us husbands that will love us. This is what we pray and ask, is that so difficult for YOU?! NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT with YOU, we believe this to be true because we believe in YOUR WORD and the miracles YOU have done during the past ancient times and YOU are the same GOD JESUS yesterday, today and forever YOU are faithful and true.
IN JESUS I pray and trust, Amen