The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday December 30, 2021 (NIV)

Malachi 1-2

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.[a]

The Lord's Love for Israel

(A)“I have loved you,” says the Lord. (B)But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau (C)Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet (D)I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. (E)I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” (F)Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

The Priests' Polluted Offerings

(G)“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am (H)a father, where is my honor? And if I am (I)a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. (J)But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ (K)By offering polluted food upon my altar. (L)But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that (M)the Lord's table may be despised. (N)When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now (O)entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, (P)will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 (Q)Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, (R)and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name (S)will be[b] great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name (T)will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that (U)the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, (V)‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. (W)You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has (X)a male in his flock, and (Y)vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For (Z)I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name (AA)will be feared among the nations.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

“And now, (AB)O priests, (AC)this command is for you. (AD)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send (AE)the curse upon you and I will curse (AF)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, (AG)I will rebuke your offspring,[c] and (AH)spread dung on your faces, the (AI)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.[d] So shall you know that I have sent (AJ)this command to you, that (AK)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and (AL)peace, and I gave them to him. (AM)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. (AN)True instruction[e] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he (AO)turned many from iniquity. For (AP)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people[f] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. (AQ)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted (AR)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so (AS)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but (AT)show partiality in your instruction.”

Judah Profaned the Covenant

10 Have we not all (AU)one Father? Has not (AV)one God created us? Why then are we (AW)faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been (AX)faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For (AY)Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant[g] of the man who does this, who (AZ)brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. (BA)You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 (BB)But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord (BC)was witness between you and the wife of your youth, (BD)to whom (BE)you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 (BF)Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[h] And what was the one God[i] seeking?[j] (BG)Godly offspring. So guard yourselves[k] in your spirit, and let none of you be (BH)faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For (BI)the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[l] says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers[m] his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and (BJ)do not be faithless.”

The Messenger of the Lord

17 (BK)You have wearied the Lord with your words. (BL)But you say, “How have we wearied him?” (BM)By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, (BN)“Where is the God of justice?”

Footnotes:

  1. Malachi 1:1 Malachi means my messenger
  2. Malachi 1:11 Or is (three times in verse 11; also verse 14)
  3. Malachi 2:3 Hebrew seed
  4. Malachi 2:3 Or to it
  5. Malachi 2:6 Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
  6. Malachi 2:7 Hebrew they
  7. Malachi 2:12 Hebrew any who wakes and answers
  8. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew in it
  9. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew the one
  10. Malachi 2:15 Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
  11. Malachi 2:15 Or So take care; also verse 16
  12. Malachi 2:16 Hebrew who hates and divorces
  13. Malachi 2:16 Probable meaning (compare Septuagint and Deuteronomy 24:1–4); or “The Lord, the God of Israel, says that he hates divorce, and him who covers

Cross references:

  1. Malachi 1:2 : Deut. 7:8; Jer. 31:3
  2. Malachi 1:2 : [ch. 2:14, 17; 3:7, 8, 13]
  3. Malachi 1:2 : [Amos 1:11; Obad. 10]
  4. Malachi 1:2 : Cited Rom. 9:13
  5. Malachi 1:3 : Isa. 34:13; Jer. 49:10, 18; Ezek. 35:3, 4; Joel 3:19
  6. Malachi 1:5 : Ps. 91:8
  7. Malachi 1:6 : See Ex. 20:12
  8. Malachi 1:6 : Ex. 4:22; Hos. 11:1
  9. Malachi 1:6 : [Luke 6:46]
  10. Malachi 1:6 : [See ver. 2 above]; [ch. 2:14, 17; 3:7, 8, 13]
  11. Malachi 1:7 : [ver. 8; ch. 2:12; 3:3]
  12. Malachi 1:7 : [See ver. 2 above]; [ch. 2:14, 17; 3:7, 8, 13]
  13. Malachi 1:7 : [ver. 12]
  14. Malachi 1:8 : [ver. 13]; See Lev. 22:22
  15. Malachi 1:9 : See Zech. 7:2
  16. Malachi 1:9 : See Deut. 10:17
  17. Malachi 1:10 : [Isa. 1:13]
  18. Malachi 1:10 : [Isa. 1:11; Jer. 6:20; Amos 5:21]
  19. Malachi 1:11 : [Isa. 2:2; 56:7; 60:3; 66:19]
  20. Malachi 1:11 : [Isa. 2:2; 56:7; 60:3; 66:19]
  21. Malachi 1:12 : [ver. 7]
  22. Malachi 1:13 : Isa. 43:23; [ch. 3:14; Mic. 6:3]
  23. Malachi 1:13 : [ver. 8; Lev. 22:20]
  24. Malachi 1:14 : See Ex. 12:5
  25. Malachi 1:14 : [Lev. 22:21]
  26. Malachi 1:14 : See Zech. 14:9
  27. Malachi 1:14 : Ps. 47:2; 76:12
  28. Malachi 2:1 : ch. 1:6
  29. Malachi 2:1 : ver. 4
  30. Malachi 2:2 : Lev. 26:14; See Deut. 28:15
  31. Malachi 2:2 : [ch. 3:9]
  32. Malachi 2:2 : [Ps. 69:22]
  33. Malachi 2:3 : [Joel 1:17; Hag. 2:17]
  34. Malachi 2:3 : Nah. 3:6
  35. Malachi 2:3 : [Ex. 29:14]
  36. Malachi 2:4 : ver. 1
  37. Malachi 2:4 : ver. 8; Num. 25:12, 13; Neh. 13:29; [Num. 3:45]
  38. Malachi 2:5 : See Isa. 54:10
  39. Malachi 2:5 : [Lev. 16:2]
  40. Malachi 2:6 : [Deut. 33:10]
  41. Malachi 2:6 : [Dan. 12:3; James 5:20]
  42. Malachi 2:7 : Deut. 17:9; See Lev. 10:11
  43. Malachi 2:8 : [1 Sam. 2:17; Jer. 18:15; Ezek. 22:26]
  44. Malachi 2:8 : See ver. 4
  45. Malachi 2:9 : [1 Sam. 2:30]
  46. Malachi 2:9 : Deut. 1:17; 16:19
  47. Malachi 2:10 : 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6
  48. Malachi 2:10 : Acts 17:26
  49. Malachi 2:10 : [Isa. 21:2; 24:16; 33:1]
  50. Malachi 2:11 : [See ver. 10 above]; [Isa. 21:2; 24:16; 33:1]
  51. Malachi 2:11 : See Ezra 9:2
  52. Malachi 2:12 : [ch. 1:7]
  53. Malachi 2:13 : [Zech. 7:3]
  54. Malachi 2:14 : [ch. 1:2]
  55. Malachi 2:14 : ch. 3:5
  56. Malachi 2:14 : [ver. 11; Isa. 54:6]
  57. Malachi 2:14 : [See ver. 10 above]; [Isa. 21:2; 24:16; 33:1]
  58. Malachi 2:15 : Matt. 19:4, 5; See Gen. 2:24
  59. Malachi 2:15 : [Ezra 9:2]
  60. Malachi 2:15 : [See ver. 10 above]; [Isa. 21:2; 24:16; 33:1]
  61. Malachi 2:16 : Matt. 5:32; Mark 10:9, 11; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10
  62. Malachi 2:16 : [See ver. 10 above]; [Isa. 21:2; 24:16; 33:1]
  63. Malachi 2:17 : Isa. 43:24
  64. Malachi 2:17 : [See ver. 14 above]; [ch. 1:2]
  65. Malachi 2:17 : [ch. 3:15; Isa. 5:20]
  66. Malachi 2:17 : [ch. 3:1; 2 Pet. 3:4]
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Revelation 21

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21 Then I saw (A)a new heaven and a new earth, for (B)the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw (C)the holy city, (D)new Jerusalem, (E)coming down out of heaven from God, (F)prepared (G)as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, (H)the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will (I)dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] (J)He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and (K)death shall be no more, (L)neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And (M)he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I (N)am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for (O)these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, (P)“It is done! (Q)I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. (R)To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (S)The one who conquers will have this heritage, and (T)I will be his God and (U)he will be my son. (V)But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, (W)their portion will be in (X)the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is (Y)the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

Then came (Z)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of (AA)the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you (AB)the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And (AC)he carried me away in the Spirit to (AD)a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 (AE)having the glory of God, (AF)its radiance (AG)like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, (AH)with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve (AI)foundations, and (AJ)on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And the one who spoke with me (AK)had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.[d] Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits[e] by (AL)human measurement, which is also (AM)an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of (AN)jasper, while the city was pure gold, like (AO)clear glass. 19 (AP)The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and (AQ)the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 And (AR)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city (AS)has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for (AT)the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light (AU)will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth (AV)will bring their glory into it, 25 and (AW)its gates will never be shut by day—and (AX)there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But (AY)nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's (AZ)book of life.

Footnotes:

  1. Revelation 21:3 Or tabernacle
  2. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts peoples
  3. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts omit as their God
  4. Revelation 21:16 About 1,380 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
  5. Revelation 21:17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

Cross references:

  1. Revelation 21:1 : Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13
  2. Revelation 21:1 : ch. 20:11
  3. Revelation 21:2 : ch. 11:2; 22:19; Isa. 52:1
  4. Revelation 21:2 : See ch. 3:12
  5. Revelation 21:2 : [Heb. 11:10]
  6. Revelation 21:2 : ch. 19:7; [John 14:3]
  7. Revelation 21:2 : Isa. 61:10
  8. Revelation 21:3 : See Lev. 26:11, 12
  9. Revelation 21:3 : [ch. 7:15]
  10. Revelation 21:4 : See ch. 7:17
  11. Revelation 21:4 : [ch. 20:14; 1 Cor. 15:26]
  12. Revelation 21:4 : Isa. 35:10; 51:11; 65:19
  13. Revelation 21:5 : ch. 4:2, 9; 5:1; 20:11
  14. Revelation 21:5 : See 2 Cor. 5:17
  15. Revelation 21:5 : ch. 22:6; [ch. 3:14; 19:11; 1 Tim. 1:15]
  16. Revelation 21:6 : See ch. 10:6
  17. Revelation 21:6 : ch. 1:8; 22:13
  18. Revelation 21:6 : ch. 22:17; See John 4:10; 7:37
  19. Revelation 21:7 : ch. 2:7
  20. Revelation 21:7 : ver. 3
  21. Revelation 21:7 : See 2 Cor. 6:18
  22. Revelation 21:8 : ch. 22:15; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:14
  23. Revelation 21:8 : Luke 12:46
  24. Revelation 21:8 : ch. 19:20
  25. Revelation 21:8 : ch. 2:11; 20:6, 14
  26. Revelation 21:9 : ch. 17:1
  27. Revelation 21:9 : ch. 15:1
  28. Revelation 21:9 : ver. 2
  29. Revelation 21:10 : ch. 17:3; [Ezek. 43:5]
  30. Revelation 21:10 : Ps. 87:1; Ezek. 40:2
  31. Revelation 21:11 : ver. 23; [ch. 22:5; Ps. 84:11; Ezek. 43:2, 4]
  32. Revelation 21:11 : [Matt. 5:14; Phil. 2:15]
  33. Revelation 21:11 : ch. 4:3, 6
  34. Revelation 21:12 : Ezek. 48:31-34
  35. Revelation 21:14 : Heb. 11:10; [1 Cor. 3:11]
  36. Revelation 21:14 : Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20
  37. Revelation 21:15 : See ch. 11:1
  38. Revelation 21:17 : Deut. 3:11; [ch. 13:18]
  39. Revelation 21:17 : ver. 9
  40. Revelation 21:18 : ver. 11
  41. Revelation 21:18 : ver. 11
  42. Revelation 21:19 : [Isa. 54:11, 12]
  43. Revelation 21:21 : ch. 22:2
  44. Revelation 21:22 : [John 4:23]
  45. Revelation 21:23 : ch. 22:5; Isa. 60:19, 20; [ver. 25]
  46. Revelation 21:23 : ver. 11
  47. Revelation 21:24 : Isa. 60:3; [ch. 22:2]
  48. Revelation 21:24 : ver. 26; [Isa. 60:5, 16]
  49. Revelation 21:25 : Isa. 60:11
  50. Revelation 21:25 : See ver. 23
  51. Revelation 21:27 : [ch. 22:14, 15; Isa. 35:8; 52:1; Ezek. 44:9; Joel 3:17; Zech. 14:21]
  52. Revelation 21:27 : See ch. 3:5
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Psalm 149

Sing to the Lord a New Song

149 (A)Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord (B)a new song,
his praise in (C)the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel (D)be glad in (E)his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their (F)King!
Let them praise his name with (G)dancing,
making melody to him with (H)tambourine and (I)lyre!
For the Lord (J)takes pleasure in his people;
he (K)adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory;
let them (L)sing for joy on their (M)beds.
Let (N)the high praises of God be in their throats
and (O)two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with (P)chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment (Q)written!
(R)This is honor for all his godly ones.
(S)Praise the Lord!

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Proverbs 31:10-24

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10 [a] (A)An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than (B)jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She (C)seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She (D)rises while it is yet night
and (E)provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She (F)dresses herself[b] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She (G)opens her hand to (H)the poor
and reaches out her hands to (I)the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in (J)scarlet.[c]
22 She makes (K)bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is (L)fine linen and (M)purple.
23 Her husband is known in (N)the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (O)linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
  2. Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
  3. Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.