The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday January 2, 2022 (NIV)

Genesis 3-4

The Fall

Now the serpent(A) was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?(B)

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,(C) but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”(D)

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.(E) “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,(F) knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable(G) for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,(H) who was with her, and he ate it.(I) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;(J) so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.(K)

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking(L) in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid(M) from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”(N)

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid(O) because I was naked;(P) so I hid.”

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked?(Q) Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?(R)

12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me(S)—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me,(T) and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed(U) are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust(V)
all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring[a](W) and hers;(X)
he will crush[b] your head,(Y)
and you will strike his heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.(Z)
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.(AA)

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’(AB)

“Cursed(AC) is the ground(AD) because of you;
through painful toil(AE) you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.(AF)
18 It will produce thorns and thistles(AG) for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.(AH)
19 By the sweat of your brow(AI)
you will eat your food(AJ)
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”(AK)

20 Adam[c] named his wife Eve,[d](AL) because she would become the mother of all the living.

21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.(AM) 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,(AN) knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life(AO) and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden(AP) to work the ground(AQ) from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e] of the Garden of Eden(AR) cherubim(AS) and a flaming sword(AT) flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.(AU)

Cain and Abel

Adam[f] made love to his wife(AV) Eve,(AW) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[g](AX) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[h] a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(AY)

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(AZ) In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering(BA) to the Lord.(BB) And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions(BC) from some of the firstborn of his flock.(BD) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(BE) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?(BF) Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;(BG) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(BH)

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[i] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(BI)

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”(BJ)

“I don’t know,(BK)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.(BL) 11 Now you are under a curse(BM) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.(BN) You will be a restless wanderer(BO) on the earth.(BP)

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;(BQ) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,(BR) and whoever finds me will kill me.”(BS)

15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[j]; anyone who kills Cain(BT) will suffer vengeance(BU) seven times over.(BV)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence(BW) and lived in the land of Nod,[k] east of Eden.(BX)

17 Cain made love to his wife,(BY) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,(BZ) and he named it after his son(CA) Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech married(CB) two women,(CC) one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments(CD) and pipes.(CE) 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged(CF) all kinds of tools out of[l] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed(CG) a man for wounding me,
a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged(CH) seven times,(CI)
then Lamech seventy-seven times.(CJ)

25 Adam made love to his wife(CK) again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,[m](CL) saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”(CM) 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.(CN)

At that time people began to call on[n] the name of the Lord.(CO)

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 3:15 Or seed
  2. Genesis 3:15 Or strike
  3. Genesis 3:20 Or The man
  4. Genesis 3:20 Eve probably means living.
  5. Genesis 3:24 Or placed in front
  6. Genesis 4:1 Or The man
  7. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
  8. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
  9. Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
  10. Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well
  11. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
  12. Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
  13. Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
  14. Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim

Cross references:

  1. Genesis 3:1 : Job 1:7; 2:2; 2Co 11:3; Rev 12:9; 20:2
  2. Genesis 3:1 : S Ge 2:17
  3. Genesis 3:2 : Ge 2:16
  4. Genesis 3:3 : S Ge 2:17
  5. Genesis 3:4 : S Jn 8:44; 2Co 11:3
  6. Genesis 3:5 : S Ge 1:26; 14:18, 19; Ps 7:8; Isa 14:14; Eze 28:2
  7. Genesis 3:6 : Jas 1:14-15; 1Jn 2:16
  8. Genesis 3:6 : Nu 30:7-8; Jer 44:15, 19, 24
  9. Genesis 3:6 : 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14
  10. Genesis 3:7 : Ge 2:25
  11. Genesis 3:7 : ver 21
  12. Genesis 3:8 : Lev 26:12; Dt 23:14
  13. Genesis 3:8 : Job 13:16; 23:7; 31:33; 34:22, 23; Ps 5:5; 139:7-12; Isa 29:15; Jer 16:17; 23:24; 49:10; Rev 6:15-16
  14. Genesis 3:9 : Ge 4:9; 16:8; 18:9; 1Ki 19:9, 13
  15. Genesis 3:10 : Ex 19:16; 20:18; Dt 5:5; 1Sa 12:18
  16. Genesis 3:10 : Ge 2:25
  17. Genesis 3:11 : Ge 2:25
  18. Genesis 3:11 : S Ge 2:17
  19. Genesis 3:12 : Ge 2:22
  20. Genesis 3:13 : Ro 7:11; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14
  21. Genesis 3:14 : Dt 28:15-20
  22. Genesis 3:14 : Ps 72:9; Isa 49:23; 65:25; Mic 7:17
  23. Genesis 3:15 : Jn 8:44; Ac 13:10; 1Jn 3:8
  24. Genesis 3:15 : Ge 16:11; Jdg 13:5; Isa 7:14; 8:3; 9:6; Mt 1:23; Lk 1:31; Gal 4:4; Rev 12:17
  25. Genesis 3:15 : Ro 16:20; Heb 2:14
  26. Genesis 3:16 : Ps 48:5-6; Isa 13:8; 21:3; 26:17; Jer 4:31; 6:24; Mic 4:9; 1Ti 2:15
  27. Genesis 3:16 : 1Co 11:3; Eph 5:22
  28. Genesis 3:17 : S Ge 2:17
  29. Genesis 3:17 : Ge 5:29; Nu 35:33; Ps 106:39; Isa 24:5; Jer 3:1; Ro 8:20-22
  30. Genesis 3:17 : Ge 6:13; 8:21; Isa 54:9
  31. Genesis 3:17 : Ge 29:32; 31:42; Ex 3:7; Ps 66:11; 127:2; Ecc 1:13
  32. Genesis 3:17 : Ge 47:9; Job 5:7; 7:1; 14:1; Ecc 2:23; Jer 20:18
  33. Genesis 3:18 : Job 31:40; Isa 5:6; Heb 6:8
  34. Genesis 3:18 : Ps 104:14
  35. Genesis 3:19 : Ps 104:23
  36. Genesis 3:19 : Ge 14:18; Dt 8:3, 9; 23:4; Ru 1:6; 2:14; 2Th 3:10
  37. Genesis 3:19 : S Ge 2:7; S Job 7:21; S Ps 146:4; 1Co 15:47; Heb 9:27
  38. Genesis 3:20 : S Ge 2:20; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:13
  39. Genesis 3:21 : S ver 7
  40. Genesis 3:22 : S Ge 1:26
  41. Genesis 3:22 : S Ge 2:9; S Rev 2:7
  42. Genesis 3:23 : S Ge 2:8
  43. Genesis 3:23 : S Ge 2:7
  44. Genesis 3:24 : S Ge 2:8
  45. Genesis 3:24 : Ex 25:18-22; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; 22:11; 1Ki 6:27; 8:6; 2Ki 19:15; 2Ch 5:8; Ps 18:10; 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16; Eze 10:1; 28:16
  46. Genesis 3:24 : Job 40:19; Ps 104:4; Isa 27:1
  47. Genesis 3:24 : S Ge 2:9
  48. Genesis 4:1 : ver 17, 25
  49. Genesis 4:1 : S Ge 2:20
  50. Genesis 4:1 : Heb 11:4; 1Jn 3:12; Jude 1:11
  51. Genesis 4:2 : Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; Heb 11:4; 12:24
  52. Genesis 4:2 : S Ge 2:7
  53. Genesis 4:3 : Lev 2:1-2; Isa 43:23; Jer 41:5
  54. Genesis 4:3 : Nu 18:12
  55. Genesis 4:4 : Lev 3:16; 2Ch 29:35
  56. Genesis 4:4 : Ex 13:2, 12; Dt 15:19
  57. Genesis 4:4 : Heb 11:4
  58. Genesis 4:6 : Jnh 4:4
  59. Genesis 4:7 : Ge 44:16; Nu 32:23; Isa 59:12
  60. Genesis 4:7 : Job 11:15; 22:27; Ps 27:3; 46:2; S Ro 6:16
  61. Genesis 4:8 : Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; 1Jn 3:12; Jude 1:11
  62. Genesis 4:9 : S Ge 3:9
  63. Genesis 4:9 : S Jn 8:44
  64. Genesis 4:10 : Ge 9:5; 37:20, 26; Ex 21:12; Nu 35:33; Dt 21:7, 9; 2Sa 4:11; Job 16:18; 24:2; 31:38; Ps 9:12; 106:38; Heb 12:24; Rev 6:9-10
  65. Genesis 4:11 : Dt 11:28; 2Ki 2:24
  66. Genesis 4:12 : Dt 28:15-24
  67. Genesis 4:12 : Ps 37:25; 59:15; 109:10
  68. Genesis 4:12 : ver 14
  69. Genesis 4:14 : 2Ki 17:18; Ps 51:11; 139:7-12; Jer 7:15; 52:3
  70. Genesis 4:14 : ver 12; Dt 28:64-67
  71. Genesis 4:14 : Ge 9:6; Ex 21:12, 14; Lev 24:17; Nu 35:19, 21, 27, 33; 1Ki 2:32; 2Ki 11:16
  72. Genesis 4:15 : Eze 9:4, 6
  73. Genesis 4:15 : Ex 21:20
  74. Genesis 4:15 : ver 24; Lev 26:21; Ps 79:12
  75. Genesis 4:16 : Jude 1:11
  76. Genesis 4:16 : S Ge 2:8
  77. Genesis 4:17 : S ver 1
  78. Genesis 4:17 : Ps 55:9
  79. Genesis 4:17 : Ps 49:11
  80. Genesis 4:19 : Ge 6:2
  81. Genesis 4:19 : Ge 29:28; Dt 21:15; Ru 4:11; 1Sa 1:2
  82. Genesis 4:21 : Ge 31:27; Ex 15:20; 1Sa 16:16; 1Ch 25:3; Ps 33:2; 43:4; Isa 16:11; Da 3:5
  83. Genesis 4:21 : Job 21:12; 30:31; Ps 150:4
  84. Genesis 4:22 : Ex 35:35; 1Sa 13:19; 2Ki 24:14
  85. Genesis 4:23 : Ge 9:5-6; Ex 20:13; 21:12; 23:7; Lev 19:18; 24:17; Dt 27:24; 32:35
  86. Genesis 4:24 : Dt 32:35; 2Ki 9:7; Ps 18:47; 94:1; Isa 35:4; Jer 51:56; Na 1:2
  87. Genesis 4:24 : S ver 15
  88. Genesis 4:24 : Mt 18:22
  89. Genesis 4:25 : ver 1
  90. Genesis 4:25 : Ge 5:3; 1Ch 1:1
  91. Genesis 4:25 : ver 8
  92. Genesis 4:26 : Ge 5:6; 1Ch 1:1; Lk 3:38
  93. Genesis 4:26 : Ge 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:1; Ex 17:15; 1Ki 18:24; Ps 116:17; Joel 2:32; Zep 3:9; S Ac 2:21
New International Version (NIV)

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Matthew 2:13-3:6

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(A) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(B) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(C)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(D) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[a](E)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(F)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(G) weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[b](H)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(I) of the Lord appeared in a dream(J) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(K)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(L) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(M) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(N) So was fulfilled(O) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(P)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(Q)

In those days John the Baptist(R) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(S) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[c](T)

John’s(U) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(V) His food was locusts(W) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(X) by him in the Jordan River.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  2. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
  3. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 2

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
and the peoples plot(A) in vain?
The kings(B) of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed,(C) saying,
“Let us break their chains(D)
and throw off their shackles.”(E)

The One enthroned(F) in heaven laughs;(G)
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(H)
and terrifies them in his wrath,(I) saying,
“I have installed my king(J)
on Zion,(K) my holy mountain.(L)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(M)
today I have become your father.(N)
Ask me,
and I will make the nations(O) your inheritance,(P)
the ends of the earth(Q) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(R)
you will dash them to pieces(S) like pottery.(T)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(U)
be warned, you rulers(V) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(W)
and celebrate his rule(X) with trembling.(Y)
12 Kiss his son,(Z) or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AA) can flare up in a moment.
Blessed(AB) are all who take refuge(AC) in him.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 1:7-9

The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(D) to your father’s(E) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(F)
They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(G)

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

01/01/2022 DAB Transcript

Genesis 1:1-2:25, Matthew 1:1-2:12, Psalms 1:1-6, Proverbs 1:1-6

Today is January 1st welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian and it is great to be here with you today as we begin a journey, a journey that’s going take us a year, a year-long journey. That’s up pretty long journey, but by the time we finish this journey, we will have spent a year together in community around what we know around here as the Global Campfire and we will have read every sentence, every paragraph, every word in the Bible, which in so many ways is the adventure of a lifetime. It is incredible, what is in this book. It is amazing how it touches every aspect of life and shows us how to live. I mean, by the time we finish our journey the one that we are boarding and setting sail on right now as we speak, by the time we conclude this journey the Bible will have touched nearly every aspect of the way we live, and it will do it in profoundly enriching ways. And, so, it is fantastic to be here with you on day one of 365 days. And this begins year number 17. So, 17 years ago today this story began, not the story of the Bible, but the story of the Daily Audio Bible, and every day since that day, we haven’t missed a day. We’ve been here around the Global Campfire taking the next step forward together every single day. And, so, it is in honor and a privilege and a joy to be here with you today as we embark on our journey through the Scriptures. So, if you took the journey last year, or maybe the last decade or whatever welcome back. I cannot wait to see how this year shapes up and what we learn and glean from each day, day by day in the Scriptures. If this is day one for you, welcome aboard. We’ll have so much fun as we take this journey. And basically, what we’ll do each and every day is read a portion in the Old Testament, read a portion in the New Testament and read a little bit from the Psalms and a little bit from the book of wisdom, the book of Proverbs each day. And since this is day one of the year, that means we’re like starting from scratch, so we will be beginning four different books - the book of Genesis, the book of Matthew and then obviously Psalms and Proverbs. And typically, when we…when conclude a book and then move into some new territory, the next book, we’ll talk about it, kinda do a little fly over, get a little bit of orientation to what it is we’re going to be spending time reading. But since we’re starting four different books today, that’s a lot…that’s a lot to do on day one. So, we’ll orient ourselves to these four books over the next four days. It’s just kinda moving in, moving into the rhythm that we will have as we go through this year. It’s like we’ve boarded this big vessel. We have our own room, our own space, and we gotta kinda move into it because we’ll be journeying for a year.

Introduction to the book of Genesis:

So, most of us probably know that the first book of the Bible is the book of Genesis. But the book of Genesis is a part of a grouping of books known as the Torah or the Pentateuch, and this grouping comprises the first five books in the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. And often we think of the book of Genesis we consider the…the story of creation and the origin, the beginning of the story, the origin of man. And that’s obviously a very important story but it’s not the entire story of the book of Genesis. It actually encompasses the first few chapters. Genesis actually covers more history than any of the other books in the Bible. About 2500 years are covered in the book of Genesis. Genesis actually covers more time in history than the rest of the Old Testament combined. So, we’ll start at the beginning, the beginning of the story, the creation story and go all the way until the children of Israel, who we’ll meet, we’ll follow them all the way until they end up in the land of Egypt and become a numerous population. So, basically the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis will be covering a couple thousand years. And we’ll also travel a couple thousand miles. And then things will slow down, and we’ll have a couple centuries to deal with as we get to the end of the book of Genesis. And the children of Israel that we just mentioned, the Old Testament of the Bible is largely centered around these people and their story and how God revealed himself to them and through them. And they have an awful lot to teach us because they’re not so different than we are. And, so, let’s begin. We’ll read from the New International Version today and then through next week as we get moved in on our journey. But today Genesis chapters 1 and 2.

Commentary:

Okay. So, we have taken an important first step. Obviously, the first step in our year and we’ll keep stepping forward all the way through the year, but a first step in the Bible, one that gives us important information and important context for where this journey is gonna take us. And, so, we begin in the beginning, right? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That’s important to know. And all the things that were created in the following days were on purpose by design. So, that gives us a sense of understanding that we’re not all accidents upon this earth by some sort of random chance. We’re here because we’re supposed to be here. It was intentional that we would be here. According to what we read today we bear the image of God, created in his image, to be image bearers upon this earth. And it is the breath of God that breathed life into humanity. And we’re getting the briefest of glimpses in the book of Genesis right now to a time when everything was as it was supposed to be. It was perfect. Something went wrong somewhere along the way, right? Because we can look at the world that we’re in right now and say that it is less than perfect. It is beautiful and lovely and sustains our lives, but less than perfect. And we look around at each other as human beings and know that we are far from perfect. Although we may be created in the image of God something happened somewhere and we’ll be getting to that story as we continue forward.

And then as we began the New Testament today in the book of Matthew, we…we read a lot of lineage, a lot of names. And the genealogies that are found in Scripture, so many people like refer to them as, “why is that in the Bible?” But these names that we read today, we’re gonna get to know these people. The story of the generations leading up to the birth of Jesus is a story of many generations of life, of laughter and tears, like everyone else in the world. And as we begin the book of Matthew we are also beginning a new story, a story of God made flesh, a story of God, this creator God that we’re reading about in Genesis, incarnating Himself, becoming human and living among us not only to rescue us but also to model for us what humanity is supposed to look like, which is what we, who are Christian believers in Jesus are trying to live into - like Christ, Christlike. And there will be so many opportunities for us to explore that as we take this journey.

So, there’s gonna be plenty for us to discuss and we can’t discuss it all in one day, but we will be able to talk about a lot of things step-by-step day by day, including where you’ve landed here, what this Daily Audio Bible is and how it works. In the coming days we’ll kind of unpack some of that. Like a said, it’s as if we boarded a large vessel and we’re unpacking and we’re getting settled in for a long journey, a journey that will take us through a year of our lives together with tens of thousands of brothers and sisters that are wrapped all the way around the globe. But this is day one and this is where we begin, in the beginning. We read the genealogies of Jesus but if we think about our own genealogy, just think about it. Your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, your great-great-grandparents spanning way back into history, people that we don’t even know their names, we don’t know anything about their lives, but the choices that they made compounded until we existed in this world. And every single one of us have come here today because of billions of choices that were made over the generations that landed us here. And here we are, regardless of what continent we live on or what time zone we’re in. No matter our station in life, whether wealthy or impoverished, whether healthy or struggling with our health. Whether a long-term disciple of Jesus or cracking open the Bible just to find out what’s in it. We’ve all got here by the decisions of those who’ve gone before us and at some point, we made a decision to push play and now we’re in this together. So, no matter how you got here. Whether it was planned all along our whether you had all long New Year’s Eve night and have woken up super hung over and depressed and have decided to turn toward spirituality. No matter how we got here, we’re here and we’re in this together. No matter who you are or what you’ve done I’m so happy, I’m so happy we can take this journey. We’re all in this together and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes us.

Song:

Relate – For King and Country

Has life hit you so hard that you’ve been knocked down?
Have you gone too far to find the middle ground?
Did they raise you so high just to pull you back down?
Have you been so lost you could never be found?

‘Cause I’ve been real, I’ve been fake
Been a sinner, been a saint
I’ve been right, I’ve been so, so wrong
Yeah, I’ve made my mistakes

I don’t know what it’s like to be you
You don’t know what it’s like to be me
What if we’re all the same in different kinds of ways?
Can you, can you relate?
We both know what it’s like to be hurt
We both know what it’s like to feel pain
But I think it’s safe to say we’re on to better days
Can you, can you relate?

Can you relate?

Have you ever been left when you should’ve been loved?
Has there ever been a time when you stayed but you should’ve run?

'Cause I’ve been real, I’ve been fake
Been a sinner, been a saint
I’ve been right, I’ve been so, so wrong
Yeah, I’ve made my mistakes

Now, I don’t know what it’s like to be you
You don’t know what it’s like to be me
What if we’re all the same in different kinds of ways?
Can you, can you relate?
We both know what it’s like to be hurt
We both know what it’s like to feel pain
But I think it’s safe to say we’re on to better days
Can you, can you relate?

Can you relate?
Can you relate?
Can you relate?

I don’t know what it’s like to be you
You don’t know what it’s like to be me
But by the grace of God we’ll see each other’s heart
Can you, can you relate?

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday January 1, 2022 (NIV)

Genesis 1-2

The Beginning

In the beginning(A) God created(B) the heavens(C) and the earth.(D) Now the earth was formless(E) and empty,(F) darkness was over the surface of the deep,(G) and the Spirit of God(H) was hovering(I) over the waters.

And God said,(J) “Let there be light,” and there was light.(K) God saw that the light was good,(L) and he separated the light from the darkness.(M) God called(N) the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”(O) And there was evening, and there was morning(P)—the first day.

And God said,(Q) “Let there be a vault(R) between the waters(S) to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.(T) And it was so.(U) God called(V) the vault “sky.”(W) And there was evening, and there was morning(X)—the second day.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,(Y) and let dry ground(Z) appear.” And it was so.(AA) 10 God called(AB) the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters(AC) he called “seas.”(AD) And God saw that it was good.(AE)

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:(AF) seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.(AG)” And it was so.(AH) 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds(AI) and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.(AJ) 13 And there was evening, and there was morning(AK)—the third day.

14 And God said, “Let there be lights(AL) in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,(AM) and let them serve as signs(AN) to mark sacred times,(AO) and days and years,(AP) 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.(AQ) 16 God made two great lights—the greater light(AR) to govern(AS) the day and the lesser light to govern(AT) the night.(AU) He also made the stars.(AV) 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night,(AW) and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.(AX) 19 And there was evening, and there was morning(AY)—the fourth day.

20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures,(AZ) and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”(BA) 21 So God created(BB) the great creatures of the sea(BC) and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,(BD) according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.(BE) And God saw that it was good.(BF) 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”(BG) 23 And there was evening, and there was morning(BH)—the fifth day.

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures(BI) according to their kinds:(BJ) the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.(BK) 25 God made the wild animals(BL) according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.(BM) And God saw that it was good.(BN)

26 Then God said, “Let us(BO) make mankind(BP) in our image,(BQ) in our likeness,(BR) so that they may rule(BS) over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,(BT) over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created(BU) mankind(BV) in his own image,(BW)
in the image of God(BX) he created them;
male and female(BY) he created them.(BZ)

28 God blessed them and said to them,(CA) “Be fruitful and increase in number;(CB) fill the earth(CC) and subdue it. Rule over(CD) the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.(CE)

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.(CF) 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life(CG) in it—I give every green plant for food.(CH)” And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made,(CI) and it was very good.(CJ) And there was evening, and there was morning(CK)—the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.(CL)

By the seventh day(CM) God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.(CN) Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,(CO) because on it he rested(CP) from all the work of creating(CQ) that he had done.

Adam and Eve

This is the account(CR) of the heavens and the earth when they were created,(CS) when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[b] and no plant had yet sprung up,(CT) for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth(CU) and there was no one to work the ground, but streams[c] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed(CV) a man[d](CW) from the dust(CX) of the ground(CY) and breathed into his nostrils the breath(CZ) of life,(DA) and the man became a living being.(DB)

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;(DC) and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees(DD) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life(DE) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.(DF)

10 A river(DG) watering the garden flowed from Eden;(DH) from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah,(DI) where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin[e](DJ) and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.[f] 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris;(DK) it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.(DL)

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden(DM) to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;(DN) 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,(DO) for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”(DP)

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”(DQ)

19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals(DR) and all the birds in the sky.(DS) He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called(DT) each living creature,(DU) that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam[g] no suitable helper(DV) was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;(DW) and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[h] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[i](DX) he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;(DY)
she shall be called(DZ) ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.(EA)

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united(EB) to his wife, and they become one flesh.(EC)

25 Adam and his wife were both naked,(ED) and they felt no shame.

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 1:26 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Syriac); Masoretic Text the earth
  2. Genesis 2:5 Or land; also in verse 6
  3. Genesis 2:6 Or mist
  4. Genesis 2:7 The Hebrew for man (adam) sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for ground (adamah); it is also the name Adam (see verse 20).
  5. Genesis 2:12 Or good; pearls
  6. Genesis 2:13 Possibly southeast Mesopotamia
  7. Genesis 2:20 Or the man
  8. Genesis 2:21 Or took part of the man’s side
  9. Genesis 2:22 Or part

Cross references:

  1. Genesis 1:1 : Ps 102:25; Pr 8:23; Isa 40:21; 41:4, 26; Jn 1:1-2
  2. Genesis 1:1 : ver 21, 27; Ge 2:3
  3. Genesis 1:1 : ver 6; Ne 9:6; Job 9:8; 37:18; Ps 96:5; 104:2; 115:15; 121:2; 136:5; Isa 40:22; 42:5; 51:13; Jer 10:12; 51:15
  4. Genesis 1:1 : Ge 14:19; 2Ki 19:15; Ne 9:6; Job 38:4; Ps 90:2; 136:6; 146:6; Isa 37:16; 40:28; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12, 18; Jer 27:5; 32:17; Ac 14:15; 17:24; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16; Heb 3:4; 11:3; Rev 4:11; 10:6
  5. Genesis 1:2 : Isa 23:1; 24:10; 27:10; 32:14; 34:11
  6. Genesis 1:2 : Isa 45:18; Jer 4:23
  7. Genesis 1:2 : Ge 8:2; Job 7:12; 26:8; 38:9; Ps 36:6; 42:7; 104:6; 107:24; Pr 30:4
  8. Genesis 1:2 : Ge 2:7; Job 33:4; Ps 104:30; Isa 32:15
  9. Genesis 1:2 : Dt 32:11; Isa 31:5
  10. Genesis 1:3 : ver 6; Ps 33:6, 9; 148:5; Heb 11:3
  11. Genesis 1:3 : 2Co 4:6*; 1Jn 1:5-7
  12. Genesis 1:4 : ver 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; Ps 104:31; 119:68; Jer 31:35
  13. Genesis 1:4 : ver 14; Ex 10:21-23; Job 26:10; 38:19; Ps 18:28; 104:20; 105:28; Isa 42:16; 45:7
  14. Genesis 1:5 : ver 8, 10; Ge 2:19, 23
  15. Genesis 1:5 : Ps 74:16
  16. Genesis 1:5 : ver 8, 13, 19, 23, 31
  17. Genesis 1:6 : S ver 3
  18. Genesis 1:6 : S ver 1; Isa 44:24; 2Pe 3:5
  19. Genesis 1:6 : ver 9; Ps 24:2; 136:6
  20. Genesis 1:7 : Ge 7:11; Job 26:10; 38:8-11, 16; Ps 68:33; 148:4; Pr 8:28
  21. Genesis 1:7 : ver 9, 11, 15, 24
  22. Genesis 1:8 : S ver 5
  23. Genesis 1:8 : Job 9:8; 37:18; Ps 19:1; 104:2; Isa 40:22; 44:24; 45:12; Jer 10:12; Zec 12:1
  24. Genesis 1:8 : S ver 5
  25. Genesis 1:9 : Job 38:8-11; Ps 33:7; 104:6-9; Pr 8:29; Jer 5:22; 2Pe 3:5
  26. Genesis 1:9 : Ps 95:5; Jnh 1:9; Hag 2:6
  27. Genesis 1:9 : S ver 7
  28. Genesis 1:10 : S ver 5
  29. Genesis 1:10 : Ps 33:7
  30. Genesis 1:10 : Job 38:8; Ps 90:2; 95:5
  31. Genesis 1:10 : S ver 4
  32. Genesis 1:11 : Ps 65:9-13; 104:14
  33. Genesis 1:11 : ver 12, 21, 24, 25; Ge 2:5; 6:20; 7:14; Lev 11:14, 19, 22; Dt 14:13, 18; 1Co 15:38
  34. Genesis 1:11 : S ver 7
  35. Genesis 1:12 : S ver 11
  36. Genesis 1:12 : S ver 4
  37. Genesis 1:13 : S ver 5
  38. Genesis 1:14 : Ps 74:16; 136:7
  39. Genesis 1:14 : S ver 4
  40. Genesis 1:14 : Jer 10:2
  41. Genesis 1:14 : Ps 104:19
  42. Genesis 1:14 : Ge 8:22; Jer 31:35-36; 33:20, 25
  43. Genesis 1:15 : S ver 7
  44. Genesis 1:16 : Dt 17:3; Job 31:26; Jer 43:13; Eze 8:16
  45. Genesis 1:16 : Ps 136:8
  46. Genesis 1:16 : Ps 136:9
  47. Genesis 1:16 : Job 38:33; Ps 74:16; 104:19; Jer 31:35; Jas 1:17
  48. Genesis 1:16 : Dt 4:19; Job 9:9; 38:7, 31-32; Ps 8:3; 33:6; Ecc 12:2; Isa 40:26; Jer 8:2; Am 5:8
  49. Genesis 1:18 : Jer 33:20, 25
  50. Genesis 1:18 : S ver 4
  51. Genesis 1:19 : S ver 5
  52. Genesis 1:20 : Ps 146:6
  53. Genesis 1:20 : Ge 2:19
  54. Genesis 1:21 : S ver 1
  55. Genesis 1:21 : Job 3:8; 7:12; Ps 74:13; 148:7; Isa 27:1; Eze 32:2
  56. Genesis 1:21 : Ps 104:25-26
  57. Genesis 1:21 : S ver 11
  58. Genesis 1:21 : S ver 4
  59. Genesis 1:22 : ver 28; Ge 8:17; 9:1, 7, 19; 47:27; Lev 26:9; Eze 36:11
  60. Genesis 1:23 : S ver 5
  61. Genesis 1:24 : Ge 2:19
  62. Genesis 1:24 : S ver 11
  63. Genesis 1:24 : S ver 7
  64. Genesis 1:25 : Ge 7:21-22; Jer 27:5
  65. Genesis 1:25 : S ver 11
  66. Genesis 1:25 : S ver 4
  67. Genesis 1:26 : Ge 3:5, 22; 11:7; Ps 100:3; Isa 6:8
  68. Genesis 1:26 : Isa 45:18
  69. Genesis 1:26 : ver 27; Ge 5:3; 9:6; Ps 8:5; 82:6; 89:6; 1Co 11:7; 2Co 4:4; Col 1:15; 3:10; Jas 3:9
  70. Genesis 1:26 : Ac 17:28-29
  71. Genesis 1:26 : Ge 9:2; Ps 8:6-8
  72. Genesis 1:26 : Ps 8:8
  73. Genesis 1:27 : S ver 1
  74. Genesis 1:27 : Ge 2:7; Ps 103:14; 119:73
  75. Genesis 1:27 : S ver 26
  76. Genesis 1:27 : Ge 5:1
  77. Genesis 1:27 : Ge 5:2; Mt 19:4*; Mk 10:6*; Gal 3:28
  78. Genesis 1:27 : Dt 4:32
  79. Genesis 1:28 : Ge 33:5; Jos 24:3; Ps 113:9; 127:3, 5
  80. Genesis 1:28 : S Ge 17:6
  81. Genesis 1:28 : S ver 22; Ge 6:1; Ac 17:26
  82. Genesis 1:28 : ver 26; Ps 115:16
  83. Genesis 1:28 : Ps 8:6-8
  84. Genesis 1:29 : Ge 9:3; Dt 12:15; Ps 104:14; 1Ti 4:3
  85. Genesis 1:30 : Ge 2:7; 7:22
  86. Genesis 1:30 : Job 38:41; Ps 78:25; 104:14, 27; 111:5; 136:25; 145:15; 147:9
  87. Genesis 1:31 : Ps 104:24; 136:5; Pr 3:19; Jer 10:12
  88. Genesis 1:31 : S ver 4; 1Ti 4:4
  89. Genesis 1:31 : S ver 5
  90. Genesis 2:1 : Dt 4:19; 17:3; 2Ki 17:16; 21:3; Ps 104:2; Isa 44:24; 45:12; 48:13; 51:13
  91. Genesis 2:2 : Dt 5:14
  92. Genesis 2:2 : ver 2-3; Ex 20:11; 31:17; 34:21; Jn 5:17; Heb 4:4*
  93. Genesis 2:3 : Ex 16:23; 20:10; 23:12; 31:15; 35:2; Lev 23:3; Ne 9:14; Isa 58:13; Jer 17:22
  94. Genesis 2:3 : Ps 95:11; Heb 4:1-11
  95. Genesis 2:3 : S Ge 1:1
  96. Genesis 2:4 : Ge 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2
  97. Genesis 2:4 : Ge 1:1; Job 38:8-11
  98. Genesis 2:5 : Ge 1:11
  99. Genesis 2:5 : Job 38:28; Ps 65:9-10; Jer 10:13
  100. Genesis 2:7 : Isa 29:16; 43:1, 21; 44:2
  101. Genesis 2:7 : S Ge 1:27
  102. Genesis 2:7 : Ge 3:19; 18:27; Job 4:19; 10:9; 17:16; 34:15; Ps 90:3; Ecc 3:20; 12:7
  103. Genesis 2:7 : Ge 3:23; 4:2; Ps 103:14; Jer 18:6; 1Co 15:47
  104. Genesis 2:7 : S Ge 1:2; Job 27:3; Isa 2:22
  105. Genesis 2:7 : S Ge 1:30; Isa 42:5; Ac 17:25
  106. Genesis 2:7 : Job 12:10; 32:8; 33:4; 34:14; Ps 104:29; Isa 57:16; Eze 37:5; 1Co 15:45*
  107. Genesis 2:8 : ver 10, 15; Ge 3:23, 24; 4:16; 13:10; Isa 51:3; Eze 28:13; 31:9, 16; 36:35; Joel 2:3
  108. Genesis 2:9 : Eze 31:8
  109. Genesis 2:9 : Ge 3:22, 24; Pr 3:18; 11:30; S Rev 2:7
  110. Genesis 2:9 : Eze 47:12
  111. Genesis 2:10 : Nu 24:6; Ps 46:4; Eze 47:5
  112. Genesis 2:10 : S ver 8
  113. Genesis 2:11 : Ge 10:7; 25:18
  114. Genesis 2:12 : Nu 11:7
  115. Genesis 2:14 : Ge 41:1; Da 10:4
  116. Genesis 2:14 : Ge 15:18; 31:21; Ex 23:31; Nu 22:5; Dt 1:7; 11:24; Jos 1:4; 2Sa 8:3; 1Ki 4:21; 2Ki 23:29; 24:7; 1Ch 5:9; 18:3; 2Ch 35:20; Jer 13:4; 46:2; 51:63; S Rev 9:14
  117. Genesis 2:15 : S ver 8
  118. Genesis 2:16 : Ge 3:1-2
  119. Genesis 2:17 : Ge 3:11, 17
  120. Genesis 2:17 : Ge 3:1, 3; 5:5; 9:29; Dt 30:15, 19; Jer 42:16; Eze 3:18; S Ro 5:12; S 6:23
  121. Genesis 2:18 : Pr 31:11; 1Co 11:9; 1Ti 2:13
  122. Genesis 2:19 : Ps 8:7
  123. Genesis 2:19 : S Ge 1:20
  124. Genesis 2:19 : S Ge 1:5
  125. Genesis 2:19 : Ge 1:24
  126. Genesis 2:20 : Ge 3:20; 4:1
  127. Genesis 2:21 : Ge 15:12; 1Sa 26:12; Job 33:15
  128. Genesis 2:22 : 1Co 11:8, 9, 12; 1Ti 2:13
  129. Genesis 2:23 : Ge 29:14; Eph 5:28-30
  130. Genesis 2:23 : S Ge 1:5
  131. Genesis 2:23 : 1Co 11:8
  132. Genesis 2:24 : Mal 2:15
  133. Genesis 2:24 : Mt 19:5*; Mk 10:7-8*; 1Co 6:16*; Eph 5:31*
  134. Genesis 2:25 : Ge 3:7, 10-11; Isa 47:3; La 1:8
New International Version (NIV)

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Matthew 1:1-2:12

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah(A)(B)(C)

This is the genealogy[a] of Jesus the Messiah[b] the son of David,(D) the son of Abraham:(E)

Abraham was the father of Isaac,(F)

Isaac the father of Jacob,(G)

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,(H)

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,(I)

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,(J)

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of King David.(K)

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,(L)

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,(M)

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.(N)

12 After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,(O)

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,(P)

13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14 Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

15 Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,(Q) and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.(R)

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.(S) 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce(T) her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel(U) of the Lord appeared to him in a dream(V) and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f](W) because he will save his people from their sins.”(X)

22 All this took place to fulfill(Y) what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g](Z) (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel(AA) of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.(AB)

The Magi Visit the Messiah

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(AC) during the time of King Herod,(AD) Magi[h] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(AE) We saw his star(AF) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem(AG) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[i](AH)

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(AI) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(AJ) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(AK) in a dream(AL) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 1:1 Or is an account of the origin
  2. Matthew 1:1 Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One; also in verse 18.
  3. Matthew 1:11 That is, Jehoiachin; also in verse 12
  4. Matthew 1:18 Or The origin of Jesus the Messiah was like this
  5. Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
  6. Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
  7. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14
  8. Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
  9. Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
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Psalm 1

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff(Q)
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

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Proverbs 1:1-6

Purpose and Theme

The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.