Jan 24

Genesis 25
Esther 1
Matthew 24
Acts 24

Daily Readings:

Genesis 25

1 ¶  Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

2  And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

3  And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

4  And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

5  And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

6  But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

7  And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.

8  Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

9  And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

10  The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

11 ¶  And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

12  Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:

13  And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

14  And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

15  Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

16  These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

17  And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

18  And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

19 ¶  And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20  And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21  And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

23  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24  And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

27  And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

28  And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 ¶  And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30  And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31  And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Esther 1

1 ¶  Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

2  That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3  In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

4  When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

5  And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;

6  Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

7  And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

8  And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

9  Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

10 ¶  On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11  To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

12  But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13  Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

14  And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15  What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

16  And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17  For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18  Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19  If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

20  And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

21  And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

22  For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

Matthew 24

1 ¶  And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 ¶  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25  Behold, I have told you before.

26  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

28  For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

32 ¶  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Acts 24

1 ¶  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

2  And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

3  We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

4  Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

5  For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

6  Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

7  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

8  Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

9  And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

10 ¶  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:

11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

17  Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

18  Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

19  Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

20  Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

21  Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

22 ¶  And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

23  And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

24  And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

25  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

26  He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

Mediation of the Day: from Charles J Rolls’ book, ‘The Indescribable Christ’

B11-B01 The Beauty of Holiness B11-B02 The Beauty of Holiness

 

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