The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday July 14, 2017 (NIV)

³⁷ So David left Asaph and his brothers at the covenant chest of the Eternal to serve it continually, performing the daily rituals. ³⁸ Obed-edom and the 68 brothers served, with Obed-edom (son of Jeduthun) and Hosah as the gatekeepers.

³⁹ Zadok (the priest) and his fellow priests lived before the congregation tent of the Eternal in the high place at Gibeon ⁴⁰ to burn offerings continually to Him upon the altar in the morning and evening, as God had commanded Israel. ^41-42 With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those who are chosen and recorded here who gave testimony about the Eternal, whose loyal love never ends, using clarions, cymbals, other instruments, and songs. The sons of Jeduthun were assigned to be gatekeepers at Gibeon. ⁴³ Once the congregation tent was prepared, all the people returned to their homes, and David returned to bless his own house.

17 Once David had sat in his palace, he made an observation.

³ Later that night, God came to Nathan and corrected his thinking.

¹⁵ Nathan told David exactly what the Eternal said through this vision. ¹⁶ Then King David sat before the Eternal.

18 After God blessed David’s monarchy, King David conquered the Philistines—defeating them and seizing their capital city of Gath and its towns.

² He defeated the Moabites, who were his relatives through his ancestor Ruth, and the Moabites served David and brought him tribute.

³ He defeated Hadadezer (king of Zobah) as far as Hamath in Aram, extending the borders of Israel to the Euphrates River. ⁴ From Hadadezer David seized 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He cut the leg muscles of all the chariot horses, reserving only 100 for future use with the chariots. ⁵ When the armies of Damascus in Aram came to help their kinsman Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 Arameans. ⁶ Then David built garrisons in Damascus, and the Arameans served him and brought him tribute. The Eternal helped David, ensuring his victory, wherever he went. ⁷ David seized the golden shields from the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ He seized large quantities of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities of Tibhath and Cun (which Solomon later used to cast the bronze basin, pillars, and utensils for the temple). ⁹ When Tou (king of Hamath in Aram) heard that David had defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, ¹⁰ he was overjoyed since he had been fighting with Hadadezer himself. Tou sent his son, Hadoram, to King David to greet him and to bless him with gold, silver, and bronze, for David had fought Hadadezer and had won the victory. ¹¹ King David then dedicated these gifts to the Eternal along with the silver and gold he had seized from these nations: Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.

¹² One of David’s chiefs, Abishai (son of Zeruiah), defeated 18,000 Edomites in the valley of Salt. ¹³ He built garrisons in Edom, and all the people of that nation served David. The Eternal helped David wherever he went.

¹⁴ David was a just and righteous ruler over all Israel—over his people and the lands he conquered. ¹⁵ Joab (son of Zeruiah) led the army; Jehoshaphat (son of Ahilud) was the recorder; ¹⁶ Zadok (son of Ahitub) and Abimelech (son of Abiathar) were priests; Shavsha was secretary; ¹⁷ Benaiah (son of Jehoiada) governed the Cherethites and the Pelethites. David’s own sons were his trusted chiefs giving him advice.

2 So you can see there are no excuses for any of us. If your eyes shift their focus from yourselves to others—to judge how they are doing—you have already condemned yourselves! You don’t realize that you are pointing your fingers at others for the exact things you do as well. ² There’s no doubt that the judgment of God will justly fall upon hypocrites who practice such things. ³ Here’s what is happening: you attack and criticize others and then turn around to commit the same offenses yourselves! Do you think you will somehow dodge God’s judgment? ⁴ Do you take the kindness of God for granted? Do you see His patience and tolerance as signs that He is a pushover when it comes to sin? How could you not know that His kindness is guiding our hearts to turn away from distractions and habitual sin to walk a new path?^[a]

⁵ But because your heart is obstinate and shameless, you’re storing up wrath that will count against you. On the day of His choosing, God’s wrath and judgment will be unleashed to make things right. ⁶ As it goes, everyone will receive what his actions in life have cultivated. ⁷ Whoever has labored diligently and patiently to do what is right—seeking glory, honor, and immortality—God will grant him endless joy in life eternal. ⁸ But selfish individuals who make trouble, resist the truth, or sell out to wickedness will meet a very different fate—they will find fury and indignation as the fruit of living in the wrong. ⁹ Suffering and pain await everyone whose life is marked by evil living (first for the Jew, and next for the non-Jew). ¹⁰ But if you do what is right, you will receive glory, admiration, and peace (again, first for the Jew, then for the non-Jew). ¹¹ God has no favorites.

¹² If one lives life without knowledge of the law—the teachings of the Torah—he will sin and die apart from the law. If someone else lives life under the law, his sin will be judged by what the law teaches. ¹³ Here’s my point: just because a person hears the law read or recited does not mean he is right before the one True God; it is following the law that makes one right, not just hearing it. ^14-15 For instance, some outsiders who are not required to follow the law often live quite naturally by its teachings. Even though the law wasn’t given to them, in themselves they have the law. Here’s the thing: their lives demonstrate that God has inscribed the law’s teachings on their hearts. On judgment day, their consciences will testify for them, and their thoughts will both accuse and defend them. ¹⁶ This good news given to me declares that this affirmation and accusation will take place on that day when God, through Jesus, the Anointed One, judges every person’s life secrets.

¹⁷ Listen, if you claim to be a Jew, count on the law, and boast in your relationship with God; ¹⁸ if you know His will and can determine what is essential (because you have been instructed in the law); and ¹⁹ if you stand convinced that you are chosen to be a guide to the blind, a light to those who live in darkness, ²⁰ a teacher of foolish wanderers and children, and have in the law what is essentially the form of knowledge and truth— ²¹ then tell me, why don’t you practice what you preach? If you are going to sermonize against stealing, then stop stealing. ²² If you are going to teach others not to commit adultery, then be completely faithful to your spouse. If you hate idolatry, then stop robbing the temples! ²³ If you pride yourself in having God’s law, then stop dishonoring God by failing to keep its teaching. ²⁴ Here’s what it says: “Because of you, God’s reputation is slandered by those outside the covenant.”^[b]