The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday February 5, 2019 (NIV)

²² “If men fight with each other and injure a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely [and the baby lives], yet there is no further injury, the one who hurt her must be punished with a fine [paid] to the woman’s husband, as much as the judges decide. ²³ But if there is any further injury, then you shall require [as a penalty] life for life, ^24 [a]eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “If a man hits the eye of his male servant or female servant and it is destroyed, he must let the servant go free because of [the loss of] the eye. ²⁷ And if he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or female servant, he must let the servant go free because of [the loss of] the tooth.

²⁸ “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be cleared [of responsibility]. ²⁹ But if the ox has tried to gore on a previous occasion, and its owner has been warned, but has not kept it confined and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall be put to death as well. ³⁰ If a ransom is demanded of him [in return for his life], then he shall give whatever is demanded for the redemption of his life. ³¹ If the ox has gored another’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. ³² If the ox gores a male or a female servant, the owner shall give to the servant’s master thirty shekels of silver [the purchase price for a slave], and the ox shall be stoned.

³³ “If a man leaves a pit open, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to the animal’s owner, but the dead [animal] shall be his.

³⁵ “If one man’s ox injures another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the proceeds equally; they shall also divide the dead ox [between them]. ³⁶ Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, and its owner has not kept it confined, he must make restitution of ox for ox, and the dead [animal] shall be his.

Property Rights

22 “If a man steals an ox or sheep and kills or sells it, he shall make restitution of five oxen for an ox or four sheep for a sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in [after dark] and is struck [by the owner] so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him. ³ But if the sun has risen, there will be bloodguilt for him. The thief [if he lives] must make [full] restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold [as a slave to make restitution] for his theft. ⁴ If the animal that he stole is found alive in his possession, whether it is ox or donkey or sheep, he shall pay double [for it].

⁵ “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed bare or lets his livestock loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

⁶ “If fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes so that the stacked grain or standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.

⁷ “If a man gives his neighbor money or [other] goods to keep [for him while he is away] and it is stolen from the neighbor’s house, then, if the thief is caught, he shall pay double [for it]. ⁸ If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall appear before the judges [who act in God’s name], to determine whether or not he had stolen his neighbor’s goods. ⁹ For every offense involving property, whether it concerns ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any piece of lost property, which another identifies as his, the case of both parties shall come before the judges [who act in God’s name]. Whomever the judges pronounce guilty shall pay double to his neighbor.

¹⁰ “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any [other] animal to keep [for him], and it dies or is injured or taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ then an oath before the Lord shall be made by the two of them that he has not taken his neighbor’s property; and the owner of it shall accept his word and not require him to make restitution. ¹² But if it is actually stolen from him [when in his care], he shall make restitution to its owner. ¹³ If it is torn to pieces [by some predator or by accident], let him bring the mangled carcass as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what was torn to pieces.

¹⁴ “And if a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it gets injured or dies while its owner is not with it, the borrower shall make full restitution. ¹⁵ But if the owner is with it [when the damage is done], the borrower shall not make restitution. If it was hired, the damage is included in [the price of] its fee.

Various Laws

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry (marriage price) for her to be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must [still] pay money equivalent to the dowry of virgins.

¹⁸ “You shall not allow a woman who practices sorcery to live.

¹⁹ “Whoever lies with an animal must be put to death.^(A)

²⁰ “He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be put under a ban (designated) for destruction (execution).

²¹ “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²² You shall not harm or oppress any widow or fatherless child. ²³ If you harm or oppress them in any way, and they cry at all to Me [for help], I will most certainly hear their cry; ²⁴ and My wrath shall be kindled and burn; I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵ “If you lend money to any one of My people with you who is poor, you shall not act as a creditor (professional moneylender) to him; you shall not charge him interest. ²⁶ If you ever take your [poor] neighbor’s robe in pledge, you must return it to him before sunset, ²⁷ for that is his only covering; it is his clothing for his body. In what shall he sleep? And when he cries to Me [for help], I will hear him, for I am compassionate and gracious.

²⁸ “You shall not curse God, nor curse the ruler of your people [since he administers God’s law].^(B)

²⁹ “You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. You shall give (consecrate, dedicate) to Me the firstborn of your sons.^{(C) 30} You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it [as an offering] to Me.

³¹ “You shall be ^[b]holy men to Me; therefore you shall not eat meat [from any animal] that has been torn to pieces [by predators] in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Various Laws

23 “You shall not give a false report; you shall not join hands with the wicked to be a malicious witness [promoting wrong and violence]. ² You shall not follow a crowd to do [something] evil, nor shall you testify at a trial or in a dispute so as to side with a crowd in order to pervert justice; ³ nor shall you favor or be partial to a poor man in his dispute [simply because he is poor].

⁴ “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering off, you must bring it back to him. ⁵ If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave the man to deal with it [alone]; you must help him release the animal [from its burden].

⁶ “You shall not pervert (bend) the justice due to your poor in his dispute. ⁷ Keep far away from a false charge or action, and do not condemn to death the innocent or the righteous, for I will not justify and acquit the guilty.

⁸ “You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the testimony and the cause of the righteous.

⁹ “You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the soul [the feelings, thoughts, and concerns] of a stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt.

The Sabbath and Land

¹⁰ “You shall sow your land six years and harvest its yield, ¹¹ but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat [what the land grows naturally]; whatever they leave the animals of the field may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

¹² “Six days [each week] you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall stop [working] so that your ox and your donkey may settle down and rest, and the son of your female servant, as well as your stranger, may be refreshed. ¹³ Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; do not mention the name of other gods [either in a blessing or in a curse]; do not let such speech be heard [coming] from your mouth.

Signs of Christ’s Return

24 Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the [magnificent and massive] ^[a]buildings of the temple.^{(A) 2} And He said to them, “Do you see all these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone here will be left on another, which will not be torn down.”

³ While Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, and said, “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. ⁵ For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. ⁶ You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰ At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. ¹² Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come.

Perilous Times

¹⁵ “So when you see the ^[b]abomination of desolation [the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the ^[c]reader understand),^{(B) 16} then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge]. ¹⁷ Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house [because there will not be enough time]. ¹⁸ Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. ¹⁹ And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your flight [from persecution and suffering] will not be in winter, or on a Sabbath [when Jewish laws prohibit travel]. ²¹ For ^[d]at that time there will be a great tribulation (pressure, distress, oppression), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [again].^{(C) 22} And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened. ²³ Then if anyone says to you [during the great tribulation], ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones). ²⁵ Listen carefully, I have told you in advance. ²⁶ So if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there, or, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms [of a house],’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly]. ²⁸ Wherever the corpse is, there the ^[e]vultures will flock together.^(D)

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.