Month: November 2023

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt6

And like I said, just all of the different experiences. Just all of the different ways to encounter an episode of the Daily Audio Bible. So, we went back to the drawing board and started looking at like, how do we, how do we get there from here. What can we bring with us when we go, what should we bring with us when we go, what have we learned and what should we rebuild, knowing what we know, and knowing that we can’t get there from here. And so, a lot of discussions happened back then and a lot of really strategic decisions were made back then. And we began a new development project back then for essentially Daily Audio Bible 2.0, baking into the new technology from the ground up, everything that we knew we wanted to do the Daily Audio Bible had always been on the edge of technology, but we were bolting things on as we went because it was just growing up around us. The community was just growing up around us and we were just adapting. But with this decision back at the end of COVID, it was strategic decision to look with vision into the future of what we are trying to make. And the desire is that the Daily Audio Bible is a point of connection to other brothers and sisters, centered around God’s word and the rhythm of God’s word, and what the Scriptures are saying we should be living like. And so that we can display that for one another and connect to one another as we take this journey. Because being alone is a killer. Isolation is a killer. Loneliness is a killer. Depression is killing us. Anxiety is destroying us. And with all of these tools of connection, we are being pushed further and further into isolation, because with all these tools of connection we see more and more and more just how vile humanity can be to each other. And the Scriptures are telling us there’s a better way. We could focus on how you are taking care of each other. That’s what we’ve been trying to model. And that’s what we’ve been trying to live. And that’s what we’ve been trying to do. And that’s what we’ve been pouring resources into developing technologies that can support this have been, and we have, we have bet the farm on this. We have invested so heavily over the last couple of years that we are finally reaching a point where I believe we have a foundation and a technology that is, that the Daily Audio Bible owns and controls and can set the course for, and can build onto, without having to, without having to rewire everything. We’re finally in a position, after all these years of growing up together, to be much more stably connected and buildout community using the Daily Audio Bible app. And so, I’m telling you that as we go into the new year, this technology is going to begin to come online. None of it is online, like for any public use right now but in the next few months, we will be getting to a place where we’ll start beta testing some things and rolling out this new technology in the year 2024. So, I’m telling you all of that now, to say that’s what, that that’s what’s been going on. There’s been a massive, massive, massive development project going on behind the scenes to actually host the Global Campfire, to be the Daily Audio Bible and it’s been a huge risk, a huge investment, a huge, a huge obedience in a specific direction with specific goals of creating connection around God’s word in our lives. So, that’s coming in the new year. And we’ve been working on it really, really hard.

Christmas is coming and normally we do a Christmas box each year full of resources from the Daily Audio Bible and the annual Christmas ornament that we pack in there. We’re not doing a Christmas box as it were this year. We’re doing something centered around what I’ve just told you. We’re, we’re centering our holiday this year around the Global Campfire and resourcing this development project as we move toward its conclusion. So, we don’t have a box this year, but we do have is all of the music of the Daily Audio Bible. All of the music that we’ve produced over these years. We’ve pressed each of these projects on vinyl to make them beautiful, to have beautiful packaging, to have something tangible to actually hold in our hands. And so, we’ve pressed up the Sleep album that came out last year, on vinyl. We’ve pressed the Heart album, and that had been previously on vinyl. But we completely repackaged it. New packaging, we pressed Heart on vinyl. We have Max’s Christmas Time album, that came out a couple years ago. We pressed that on vinyl for the first time. Our Family Christmas album has been pressed onto vinyl for the first time. And the music from the Promised Land films, the soundtrack that is part of the Global Bible Campfire soundtrack, called Promised Land has been pressed onto vinyl for the first time. So, we have five different projects that we’ve pressed up on vinyl. And that’s kind of gonna be our Christmas box this year. All of the resources that come in from the purchase of these resources, will go into this development project that we are trying to bring to the finish line. So, there are five different projects available. Any one of them that you purchase or any number of them that you purchase, we’ll put the Christmas ornament with our word “expand” this year on it. We’ll put that and send that and put that in the box and send that your way with each order. An ornament for each order. You can order one, you can order them all. There is a donation of, a minimum donation of $25 for each one of these that’s the price of vinyl albums these days. So, we wanted everybody to be able to participate. But you can give as much as you want. You can name your own price and contribute in any way that you can or any way that you want to. And we would like to send these to you as a gift of thanks for investing in the future of what we’ve been building together. I’m just sitting here now going wow, we are, we are at Thanksgiving and it’s going to be black Friday, and it’s all on. Like this, I get here and I feel like the years practically over because it just goes into warp speed until…until after Christmas. So, it feels like the last moments of the real year. And I’m sitting here going, wow, we are almost done with 18 years of this, seven days a week. And I have in my heart for 18 more. I hope that can happen. I want that to happen. And I want these next years to use technology in a way that is safe and brings connection to God, to God’s people in a way that is helpful to our lives, so that we know we’re not alone. We know we are in this together. And so, there’s the story. There’s where we’re going. That’s what’s been going on behind the scenes. A lot of massive work has been happening, especially this year, behind the scenes. And I’m telling you about it. We’re moving forward together and everything that we’re looking at is looking at ways to be connected together as brothers and sisters in Christ, centered around God’s word, each and every day. So, you can participate in that, you can find these resources in the Daily Audio Bible Shop. Look for them, you will find them and thank you, thank you, humbly. Thank you, humbly for your partnership at this time. We could really use your help now, as we’re moving forward into some really, really big steps forward. And we can all pray into this, as we move forward together into the new year and into moving into our new home together. And so, thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your partnership.

If you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app or you dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hello my DAB family. This is Jamie in New Jersey, Standing on the Word of God. I humbly ask you to please pray. Dear Father in Heaven, we come before You with gratitude for all that You are, for all that You have given us, for Your mercy and grace. For Your presence and Your faithfulness. You created us to reflect Your image, and in doing so, to bring You glory. Your word says that a _ Spirit is of great value to You. Lord Jesus, You have modeled gentleness and humility, while You lived here on earth. You have dealt gently with us in our sin and rebellion. Help us to learn from You and follow Your example. I know _ gentle and bright spirit, so that we are able to walk as we have walked. Right those areas of our lives that are not pleasing in Your sight. Helping us to check our hearts, that we may not be hard towards others. So many people need a kind word, an act of compassion, a quite voice of reason, a softly spoken encouragement, a tender touch. Help us Father, to be peace makers. Help us to be mild mannered. Help us to be careful with our responses and interactions with others. Help us to be those who bring calm to storms raging in this world. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for praying along with me, my brothers and sisters. I love each and every one of you. Have a good night.

Hi family, Prisoner of Hope here. I want to give a shout out to His Little Warrior from Alabama. You said you talk about smiling in public and this game you play, and you give yourself points. I love that. I’m gonna adopt that game myself. I do smile at people a lot, but I could, I could smile more. So, thank you for that. Made By Thee for Me, you’re really struggling to listen to DAB. You feel the Lord has abandoned you and you just don’t feel Him at all. But you don’t want to give up. We don’t want you to give up, sweet sister. We’re gonna pray for you. Kathy from Kentucky, you get depressed in the winter. You said the time change really affects you. We’re praying for you and also your friend Larry, who is two months sober. That he will maintain that. Also praying for Sabina. You’re a mom and wife, you’re not sleeping well, you’re struggling, you’re having some depressed thoughts. And you said everyone has bigger problems but everyone’s problem, big or small are relevant to them. And we invite anybody to call in with their problems, big or small, because we want to lift you up. Refined by His Love in Arizona, you said you would like encouragement and His will to be done in the trial, in this trial of your life. So, we are praying for you. People on the Water, you and your girlfriend are overwhelmed. You just said you have a lot going on. So, we’re praying for you. And also, the people that you are caring for, that you are taking to church and out for ice cream. And so, lifting you up, sweet brother and your friends. Heavenly Father, we come to You. We are asking for Your blessings, that they will reach the deepest part of these people’s hearts and souls, each one of them that I have mentioned. Save them and strengthen them so that they may be able to go through all the troubles that come their way. All the fiery darts of the evil one. Become their ultimate support as they find themselves struggling and can no longer bear all the burdens of this life. Crush the plans of the enemy who wants to lead them into despair. Instead, sew Your seed of hope that they so desperately need. We ask this in the beautiful precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Hi, everyone. This is Angie from New Devin in the UK. And I’m calling in for Serene Ghost. But first of all, I wanted to just thank everybody for their prayers. I’m sorry it’s so long overdue, calling in and thanking you guys. I just felt so much love when you prayed over me about my adoption. I’m still stuck and in limbo. But the Lord is sustaining me. So, thank you for all your prayers. And for your love. And Serene Ghost, I just wanted to say to you, hang in there. Hang in there. I went through a similar thing, and I was the person like your wife. And I think that she’s looking for love in all the wrong places, like I was. I just wanted to say that yeah, hang in there. And just love her through it. I just think you’re amazing for just loving her. And for hanging in there. So, just keep on and pray for her. And thank you for calling in because you’ve done the right thing. You have thousands of people praying for you now. And I just pray Lord Jesus, that You will break through into this lady’s life. Lord, I just pray that You will break every chain that binds her Lord. That she is looking for love in that wrong place. Lord, I pray that she will find that in You. You break through and show her, like You showed me that You are the only love that she needs. In Jesus name. Lots of love. Bye.

Hello, fellow DABers. This is Kristen, aka Christ in Me. And I’m calling in concerning Junk to Treasure’s request for her granddaughter Genesis. And Genesis has been on my heart, ever since Junk to Treasure told us about the loss of her daughter-in-law, Genesis’ mother. This particularly hit me hard because I know how Genesis feels. When I was 14, I lost my beautiful mother to Leukemia. And I was going through a really, really hard time. I developed an eating disorder. And I was really struggling. But the Lord gave me a Scripture. I opened up my mothers Bible to, and I went to Lamentations 3:22-24. And I found one of the few positive Scriptures, well, uplifting Scriptures in Lamentation. And it is, the Lord’s unfailing love and mercies still continue. Fresh is the morning, as sure as the sun rise. The Lord is all I have and so I can put my hope. I would like to, just lift up Genesis and Junk to Treasure’s whole family, while they’re grieving the loss of their daughter-in-law, their mother, their wife, and the other family members that are grieving as well. And I just lift them up. I just pray for your comfort. I just pray that You will wrap Your arms around them. And give them peace that surpasses all understanding. In Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt5

And His word informs us on how to live our lives. So that’s been always the dream and the hope. And that’s been what we’ve tried to do every day that we’ve showed up here, to take the next step forward. Is to be true, to be pure, to be honest, to be vulnerable and…and to try to love, with the love of the Lord for each other. And we have done such a good job of that…that I don’t know any other place in the world like the one that we have here around the Global Campfire. I know there’s beautiful community everywhere, but to have a run like this of 18 years. Just trying to be openhanded and vulnerable and hold things lightly and be true and be honest and just try to grow together. That has caused remarkable, well, certainly remarkable things in my personal life. And in the lives of the people in my family. But it has caused that to happen all over the world. Because we’ve been the recipients of these stories as they come in. As the community speaks of what God does through His word and through the Global Campfire community here and through the app that we share this gift through. So anyway, back to the story. Coming out of…out of COVID, as COVID was kinda getting over, just as the lockdowns were starting to be sort of lessened just a little bit, we kinda came to a point in technology where we really had to take a new direction. And actually even…even make some changes in the development team and really, really whiteboard and focus what we’re trying to get done here with this technology. What it’s really supposed to do stably, and how it’s supposed to work every day in a manner that’s useful and helpful and that the resources that are in it, like journaling and Prayer Wall and interaction, that these things, that these things work reliably. Because we had built something very beautiful and very elegant and definitely on the cutting edge of things, but resourcing all of the needs of that technology has been a challenge with our ever-growing family here.

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt4

So, we’ve been using that app that we built, the Daily Audio Bible app for years now. And fixing it, and tweaking it and repairing it, and improving it, and correcting it, but it’s always been a bit of a challenge for us to chase down all the different experiences on all of the different phones throughout all of the earth, on all of the different cellular networks, all the different wi-fis. It’s been really, really, really challenging thing. And a few years ago, kinda during the COVID season. COVID was happening and everybody was isolated and we’re the Global Campfire and so, we’re doing what we do every day, we’re being there for each other through COVID. And that’s a beautiful thing but behind the scenes we’re watching everything being taxed, the system being taxed. Looking at where we wanted to be, where we want to go. How we want to build a sense of community into that application so that it’s more than just a place to go to listen to the Bible, that it’s actually a place of connection, because that’s what we as humans need, connection. We long for it. We look for it. We fight for it. We fight over it. Connection to each other and what we’re really looking for is stable, safe connection to other people that can embellish our lives and love us, and that we can give love in a pure and true vulnerable way back. So, we’ve built things over the years, like the Prayer Wall for places like this, but we’ve also watched what social media can be an just how, just how kind and generous people can be and how dark and evil people can be. And how do we create, how do we create something that can be pure and good and just stay pure and good. That was one of the questions about starting the Daily Audio Bible itself. After a year into this, I saw that something was happening here and I felt like it was pure and innocent, and true, and that the community that was coming around the Scriptures was broken people looking for connection with other people in a safe way. We feel like we’re not alone. We’re connected to God and God connects us to each other.

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt3

Announcements:

Okay, so, I said at the beginning, hang out to the end. I want to tell a story and I do, and it’s and it’s a story of a couple years. And so, I’ve been kind of formulating how…how to do it without taking a very, very, very long time. And it’s a conversation about the technology that we use to be the Global Campfire, to be the Daily Audio Bible every day. And that obviously comes, well, to some of you through podcast readers and catchers and all of that kind of stuff. And for most of us, that is the Daily Audio Bible app. That has been and has been growing to be kind of our portal of connection to each other. And that’s something that we built many years ago. It's…it’s funny because the Daily Audio Bible began before there was this…this surge in the world called social media. Before all of that, we started this Global Campfire. So social media exploded around us and now it’s ubiquitous, it’s like everywhere and most everybody uses it. Jill and I use it almost never anymore because it can be such a toxic place. But that came about, and the Daily Audio Bible kind of grew up with that. And then iPhones, like smart phones came out and all of the sudden the…the technology was portable and was available to phones and then apps for phones started to be developed to create little tools for productivity in our lives and ways to keep us more connected. And we have more ways to be connected than we ever have in the world, but we still find ourselves in isolation a lot of the time because of this technology. And there came a point where we started to build a Daily Audio Bible app, and we had a version of that and then to really create a more communal experience, we felt like we had to build from the ground up. Something that would serve us, not really knowing what we were doing. And…and the app world, not really being fully fleshed out with standards and it was just a really kind of crazy time. Even though we’re just talking about the time of the last decade. A lot has happened technologically in the world. That’s just really changed the face of our understanding of humanity and ourselves so much is happening in the world today.

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt2

But we know Peter’s story is a story of redemption. We’ve watched him be completely transformed when the Holy Spirit came upon him in the book of Acts. We remember like his lowest moment when he denied Jesus three times in the courtyard of the high priest, and we followed him all the way the upper room and his ministry, throughout the book of Acts. And we get to know a bit of the boldness of Peter which we will certainly find in…in these letters. And in this letter, it says it’s written to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. These are five provinces of the Roman Empire. Now, they’re all located within modern-day Turkey, but they were all part of the Roman Empire. And Peter used the term God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners because this would’ve been well understood in the Jewish culture. Those living as foreigners or those who had been dispersed or exiled, were those who had been scattered over the world in the different exiles. And more recently at this time, religious persecution against followers of Jesus had dispersed many. And we’re gonna find that Peter is as direct has James. Peter speaks forthrightly and directly, but it’s not condemnation. It's…it’s encouragement, it’s meant to be direct and bolster and lift up people who are suffering hardship and are giving up. That’s a lot of us. To remind us that there is a hope for those who endure. And so, if we’re still kind of like brushing off from James. If we got a good kick in the pants from James, we’re about to get a second helping of that kick in the pants from Peter. So, well, let’s begin. First Peter chapter 1 verses 1 through 12.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another day, another step-in community in the Scriptures. We thank You for this new territory that we are moving into in the letter of first Peter. Holy Spirit come, as we move through these letters. Speak clearly into our lives, into the things that we do, into the postures of our hearts, into the motivations of our wills. May they conform to Yours and may we surrender to Your guidance, we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Posted on

11/22/2023 DAB Transcript pt1

Ezekiel 44:1-45:12, 1 Peter 1:1-12, Psalm 119:17-32, Proverbs 28:8-10

Today is the 22nd day of November, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today as we continue the journey, continue taking steps forward, every step will be made before the end of this year, and we will complete the Bible. And there’s not too many days left, but we’re not there yet. And there’s plenty, plenty that the Lord would like to speak into our lives before we reach the conclusion of this year. And so, let’s take that next step forward and hang out, hang out till the end today. I have a story to tell, a long story of the last couple of years and some future plans and where we’re, where we’re going in the coming year. So, hang out for that at the end but we’re at the beginning. Let’s dive in, today, Ezekiel chapter 44 verse 1 through 45 verse 12.

Introduction to First Peter:

Okay, so, we finished the book of James yesterday, that brings us another step closer to the end of the New Testament. And that brings us to become reunited with an old friend, the apostle Peter. We met, well, we met Peter in the Gospels and we’ve gotten to know him through the book of Acts. We’ve kind of seen his personality and some of these other depictions of who he is. We’re now at his letters. So, getting to know his voice in written form. The first letter is known as First Peter. And so, Peters name Simon or Simeon was his given name but by the time he became part of Jesus disciples, Jesus had given him the name Cephas. And in Aramaic that means rock. And when Aramaic is translated into Greek of the New Testament, the word is Petros. And then we can see how Peter and Petros have their connections in the English translation Peter.

Posted on

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday November 23, 2023 (NIV)

Ezekiel 45:13-46:24

13 “‘This is the offering you must offer: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley, 14 and as the prescribed portion of olive oil, one-tenth of a bath from each cor (which is ten baths or a homer, for ten baths make a homer); 15 and one sheep from each flock of 200, from the watered places of Israel, for a grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement for them, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 All the people of the land will contribute[a] to this offering for the prince of Israel. 17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offering, and the drink offering at festivals, on the new moons and Sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he will provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.

18 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you must take an unblemished young bull and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering and place it on the doorpost of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorpost of the gate of the inner court. 20 This is what you must do on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins inadvertently or through ignorance; so you will make atonement for the temple.

21 “‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you will celebrate the Passover, and for the seven days of the festival bread made without yeast will be eaten. 22 On that day the prince will provide for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23 And during the seven days of the feast he will provide as a burnt offering to the Lord seven bulls and seven rams, all without blemish, on each of the seven days, and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24 He will provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a gallon[b] of olive oil for each ephah of grain.[c] 25 In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast,[d] he will make the same provisions for the sin offering, burnt offering, and grain offering, and for the olive oil, for the seven days.

The Prince’s Offerings

46 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court that faces east[e] will be closed six working days, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened and on the day of the new moon it will be opened. 2 The prince will enter by way of the porch of the gate from the outside and will stand by the doorpost of the gate. The priests will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he will bow down at the threshold of the gate and then go out. But the gate will not be closed until evening. 3 The people of the land will bow down at the entrance of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince will offer to the Lord on the Sabbath day will be six unblemished lambs and one unblemished ram. 5 The grain offering will be an ephah with the ram, and the grain offering with the lambs will be as much as he is able to give,[f] and a gallon[g] of olive oil with an ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon he will offer[h] an unblemished young bull and six lambs and a ram, all without blemish. 7 He will provide a grain offering: an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wishes,[i] and a gallon[j] of olive oil with each ephah of grain.[k] 8 When the prince enters, he will come by way of the porch of the gate and will go out the same way.

9 “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate; whoever enters by way of the south gate will go out by way of the north gate. No one will return by way of the gate they entered but will go out straight ahead. 10 When they come in, the prince will come in with them, and when they go out, he will go out.

11 “‘At the festivals and at the appointed feasts the grain offering will be an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as one is able,[l] and a gallon[m] of olive oil with each ephah of grain.[n] 12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a voluntary offering to the Lord, the gate facing east will be opened for him, and he will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings just as he did on the Sabbath. Then he will go out, and the gate will be closed after he goes out.[o]

13 “‘You[p] will provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering daily to the Lord; morning by morning he will provide it. 14 And you[q] will provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a gallon[r] of olive oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain offering to the Lord; this is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus they will provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil morning by morning, as a perpetual burnt offering.

16 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince should give a gift to one of his sons as[s] his inheritance, it will belong to his sons; it is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be his until the year of liberty;[t] then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance will only remain with his sons. 18 The prince will not take away any of the people’s inheritance by oppressively removing them from their property. He will give his sons an inheritance from his own possessions so that my people will not be scattered, each from his own property.’”

19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which faced north. There I saw[u] a place at the extreme western end. 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out to the outer court to transmit holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me past the four corners of the court, and I noticed[v] that in every corner of the court there was a court. 22 In the four corners of the court were small[w] courts, 70 feet[x] in length and 52½ feet[y] in width; the four were all the same size. 23 There was a row of masonry around each of the four courts, and places for boiling offerings were made under the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the houses for boiling, where the ministers of the temple boil the sacrifices of the people.”

Footnotes:

  1. Ezekiel 45:16 tn Heb “will be.”
  2. Ezekiel 45:24 tn Heb “a hin of oil.” A hin was about 1/16 of a bath. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:266, and O. R. Sellers, “Weights,” IDB 4:835 g.
  3. Ezekiel 45:24 tn Heb “ephah.” The words “of grain” are supplied in the translation as a clarification.
  4. Ezekiel 45:25 sn That is, the Feast of Temporary Shelters, traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles (Exod 23:16; 34:22; Deut 16:16).
  5. Ezekiel 46:1 sn The east gate of the outer court was permanently closed (Ezek 44:2).
  6. Ezekiel 46:5 tn Or “as much as he wishes.” Heb “a gift of his hand.”
  7. Ezekiel 46:5 tn Heb “a hin of oil.” A hin was about 1/16 of a bath. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:266, and O. R. Sellers, “Weights,” IDB 4:835 g.
  8. Ezekiel 46:6 tn The phrase “he will offer” is not in the Hebrew text but is warranted from the context.
  9. Ezekiel 46:7 tn Heb “with the lambs as his hand can reach.”
  10. Ezekiel 46:7 tn Heb “a hin of oil.” A hin was about 1/16 of a bath. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:266, and O. R. Sellers, “Weights,” IDB 4:835 g.
  11. Ezekiel 46:7 tn Heb “ephah.” The words “of grain” are supplied in the translation as a clarification.
  12. Ezekiel 46:11 tn Or “as much as he wishes.” Heb “a gift of his hand.”
  13. Ezekiel 46:11 tn Heb “a hin of oil.” A hin was about 1/16 of a bath. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:266, and O. R. Sellers, “Weights,” IDB 4:835 g.
  14. Ezekiel 46:11 tn Heb “ephah.” The words “of grain” are supplied in the translation as a clarification.
  15. Ezekiel 46:12 tn Heb “he shall shut the gate after he goes out.”
  16. Ezekiel 46:13 tc A few Hebrew mss, the LXX, and the Vulgate read the verb as third person singular (referring to the prince), both here and later in the verse.
  17. Ezekiel 46:14 tc Two medieval Hebrew mss, the LXX, the Syriac, and the Vulgate read the verb as third person singular.
  18. Ezekiel 46:14 tn Heb “a hin of oil.” A hin was about 1/16 of a bath. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:266, and O. R. Sellers, “Weights,” IDB 4:835 g.
  19. Ezekiel 46:16 tn The Hebrew text has no preposition; the LXX reads “from” (see v. 17).
  20. Ezekiel 46:17 sn That is, the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-15).
  21. Ezekiel 46:19 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  22. Ezekiel 46:21 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  23. Ezekiel 46:22 tc The meaning of the Hebrew term is unclear. The LXX and Syriac render: “small.”
  24. Ezekiel 46:22 tn Heb “40 cubits” (i.e., 21 meters).
  25. Ezekiel 46:22 tn Heb “30 cubits” (i.e., 15.75 meters).
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

1 Peter 1:13-2:10

13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action[a] by being fully sober, and set your hope[b] completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.[c] 14 Like obedient children, do not comply with[d] the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,[e] 15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”[f] 17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here[g] in reverence. 18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 20 He was foreknown[h] before the foundation of the world but[i] was manifested in these last times[j] for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust[k] in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 You have purified[l] your souls by obeying the truth[m] in order to show sincere mutual love.[n] So[o] love one another earnestly from a pure heart.[p] 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For

all flesh[q] is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of the grass;[r]
the grass withers and the flower falls off,
25 but the word of the Lord[s] endures forever.[t]

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

2 So get rid of[u] all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 And[v] yearn[w] like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk,[x] so that by it you may grow up to[y] salvation,[z] 3 if you have experienced[aa] the Lord’s kindness.[ab]

A Living Stone, a Chosen People

4 So as you come to him,[ac] a living stone rejected by men but[ad] chosen and precious[ae] in God’s sight, 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer[af] spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says[ag] in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone,[ah] and whoever believes[ai] in him[aj] will never[ak] be put to shame.”[al] 7 So you who believe see[am] his value,[an] but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the[ao] cornerstone,[ap] 8 and a stumbling-stone[aq] and a rock to trip over.[ar] They stumble[as] because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.[at] 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues[au] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 You[av] once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy,[aw] but now you have received mercy.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “binding up the loins of your mind,” a figure of speech drawn from the Middle Eastern practice of gathering up long robes around the waist to prepare for work or action.
  2. 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “having bound up…, being sober, set your hope…”
  3. 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 7).
  4. 1 Peter 1:14 tn Or “do not be conformed to”; Grk “not being conformed to.”
  5. 1 Peter 1:14 tn Grk “the former lusts in your ignorance.”
  6. 1 Peter 1:16 sn A quotation from Lev 19:2.
  7. 1 Peter 1:17 tn Grk “the time of your sojourn,” picturing the Christian’s life in this world as a temporary stay in a foreign country (cf. 1:1).
  8. 1 Peter 1:20 tn Grk “who was foreknown,” describing Christ in v. 19. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  9. 1 Peter 1:20 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
  10. 1 Peter 1:20 tn Grk “at the last of the times.”
  11. 1 Peter 1:21 tc Although there may be only a slight difference in translation, the term translated as “trust” is the adjective πιστούς (pistous). This is neither as common nor as clear as the verb πιστεύω (pisteuō, “believe, trust”). Consequently, most mss have the present participle πιστεύοντας (pisteuontas; P72 א C P Ψ 5 81 436 442 1175 1243 1611 1739 1852 2492 M), or the aorist participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusantes; 33 2344), while A B 307c 1735 vg have the adjective. Though the external evidence on its behalf is not in itself compelling, internally πιστούς is to be preferred. In the NT the adjective is routinely taken passively in the sense of “faithful” (BDAG 820 s.v. πιστός 1). That may be part of the force here as well: “you are now faithful to God,” although the primary force in this context seems to be that of trusting. Nevertheless, it is difficult to separate faith from faithfulness in NT descriptions of Christians’ dependence on God.tn Grk “who through him [are] trusting,” describing the “you” of v. 20. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  12. 1 Peter 1:22 tn Grk “having purified,” as the preparation for the love described in the second half of the verse.
  13. 1 Peter 1:22 tc Most later mss (P M) have διὰ πνεύματος (dia pneumatos, “through the Spirit”) after ἀληθείας (alētheias, “truth”), while the words are lacking in a broad spectrum of early and significant witnesses (P72 א A B C Ψ 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 vg sy co). On external grounds, the shorter reading cannot be easily explained if it were not autographic. The longer reading is clearly secondary, added to show more strongly God’s part in man’s obedience to the truth. But the addition ignores the force that the author gives to “purified” and ruins the balance between v. 22 and v. 23 (for in v. 23 the emphasis is on God’s part; here, on mankind’s).
  14. 1 Peter 1:22 tn Grk “for sincere brotherly love.”
  15. 1 Peter 1:22 tn Verses 22-23 are a single sentence in the Greek text. To improve clarity (and because contemporary English tends to use shorter sentences) these verses have been divided into three sentences in the translation. In addition, “So” has been supplied at the beginning of the second English sentence (v. 22b) to indicate the relationship with the preceding statement.
  16. 1 Peter 1:22 tc A few mss (A B 1852 vg) lack καθαρᾶς (katharas, “pure”) and read simply καρδίας (kardias, “from the heart”) ”) or καρδίας ἀληθινῆς (kardias alēthinēs, “from a true heart,” found in א2 vgms), but there is excellent ms support (P72 א* C P Ψ 33 1739 M co) for the word. The omission may have been accidental. In the majuscule script (kaqaras kardias) an accidental omission could have happened via homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. καθαρᾶς should be considered the initial reading. The NA28 prints καθαρᾶς καρδίας with a diamond, indicating that the decision was a toss-up or, in the words of the preface, “there are two variants which in the editors’ judgement could equally well be adopted in the reconstructed initial text.”
  17. 1 Peter 1:24 sn Here all flesh is a metaphor for humanity—human beings as both frail and temporary.
  18. 1 Peter 1:24 tn Or “a wildflower.”
  19. 1 Peter 1:25 sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8; 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.
  20. 1 Peter 1:25 sn A quotation from Isa 40:6, 8.
  21. 1 Peter 2:1 tn Or “put away.”
  22. 1 Peter 2:2 tn Here “And” has been supplied in the translation to show clearly the connection between vv. 1 and 2.
  23. 1 Peter 2:2 tn Grk “getting rid of…yearn for.”
  24. 1 Peter 2:2 tn The word for spiritual in Greek is λογικός (logikos), which is a play on words with the reference in 1:23-25 to the living and enduring word (λόγος, logos) of God, through which they were born anew. This is a subtle indication that the nourishment for their growth must be the word of God.
  25. 1 Peter 2:2 tn Or “in, in regard to.” But the focus of “salvation” here, as in 1:5, 9, is the future deliverance of these who have been born anew and protected by God’s power.
  26. 1 Peter 2:2 tc The Byzantine text lacks εἰς σωτηρίαν (eis sōtērian, “to salvation”), while the words are found in the earliest and best witnesses, along with others (P72 א A B C K P Ψ 33 81 630 1241 1505 1739 al latt sy co). Not only is the longer reading superior externally, but since the notion of growing up [in]to salvation may have seemed theologically objectionable, it is easy to see why some scribes would omit it.
  27. 1 Peter 2:3 tn Grk “have tasted that the Lord is kind.”
  28. 1 Peter 2:3 sn A quotation from Ps 34:8.
  29. 1 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “to whom coming…you are built up…” as a continuation of the reference to the Lord in v. 3.
  30. 1 Peter 2:4 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two phrases more than can be easily expressed in English.
  31. 1 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “chosen, precious.”
  32. 1 Peter 2:5 tn Grk “unto a holy priesthood to offer.”
  33. 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “it contains,” “it stands.”
  34. 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “chosen, precious.”
  35. 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “the one who believes.”
  36. 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk either “in him” or “in it,” but the OT and NT uses personify the stone as the King, the Messiah whom God will establish in Jerusalem.
  37. 1 Peter 2:6 tn The negative (οὐ μή, ou mē) is emphatic: “will certainly not.”
  38. 1 Peter 2:6 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.
  39. 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “to you who believe is the value,” referring to their perception of the stone in contrast to those who reject (vv. 7b-8). But the expression may also be translated as “to you who believe is this honor,” referring to the lack of shame cited in v. 6b.
  40. 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “the value” or “the honor,” but the former is preferred since it comes from the same root as “priceless” in vv. 4, 6, and it is in contrast to the negative estimate of the stone by those who reject (vv. 7b-8).
  41. 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “the head of the corner.”
  42. 1 Peter 2:7 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 (cf. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11).
  43. 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” The latter phrase uses the term σκάνδαλον (skandalon), denoting an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger and rejection.
  44. 1 Peter 2:8 sn A quotation from Isa 8:14.
  45. 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “who stumble,” referring to “those who do not believe” in vs. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  46. 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “to which they were also destined.”
  47. 1 Peter 2:9 sn This verse contains various allusions and quotations from Exod 19:5-6; 23:22 (LXX); Isa 43:20-21; and Mal 3:17.
  48. 1 Peter 2:10 tn Grk “who,” continuing the description of the readers from vs. 9. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  49. 1 Peter 2:10 sn The quotations in v. 10 are from Hos 1:6, 9; 2:23.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:33-48

ה (He)

33 Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes,[a]
so that I might observe it continually.[b]
34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart.[c]
35 Guide me[d] in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it.[e]
36 Give me a desire for your rules,[f]
rather than for wealth gained unjustly.[g]
37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless.[h]
Revive me with your word.[i]
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,[j]
which you made to the one who honors you.[k]
39 Take away the insults that I dread.[l]
Indeed,[m] your regulations are good.
40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance.[n]

ו (Vav)

41 May I experience your loyal love,[o] O Lord,
and your deliverance,[p] as you promised.[q]
42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me,[r]
for I trust in your word.
43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,[s]
for I await your justice.
44 Then I will keep[t] your law continually
now and for all time.[u]
45 I will be secure,[v]
for I seek your precepts.
46 I will speak[w] about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
48 I will lift my hands to[x] your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 119:33 tn Heb “the way of your statutes.”
  2. Psalm 119:33 tn Heb “and I will keep it to the end.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative. The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (ʿeqev) is understood to mean “end” here. Another option is to take עֵקֶב as meaning “reward” here (see Ps 19:11) and to translate, “so that I might observe it and be rewarded.”
  3. Psalm 119:34 tn The two prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.
  4. Psalm 119:35 tn Or “make me walk.”
  5. Psalm 119:35 tn Heb “for in it I delight.”
  6. Psalm 119:36 tn Heb “turn my heart to your rules.”
  7. Psalm 119:36 tn Heb “and not unjust gain.”
  8. Psalm 119:37 tn Heb “Make my eyes pass by from looking at what is worthless.”
  9. Psalm 119:37 tn Heb “by your word.”
  10. Psalm 119:38 tn Heb “word.”
  11. Psalm 119:38 tn Heb “which [is] for your fear,” that is, the promise made to those who exhibit fear of God.
  12. Psalm 119:39 tn Heb “my reproach that I fear.”
  13. Psalm 119:39 tn Or “for.”
  14. Psalm 119:40 tn Or “righteousness.”
  15. Psalm 119:41 tn Heb “and may your loyal love come to me.”
  16. Psalm 119:41 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions).
  17. Psalm 119:41 tn Heb “according to your word.”
  18. Psalm 119:42 tn Heb “and I will answer [the] one who insults me a word.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive (see v. 41).
  19. Psalm 119:43 tn Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the Lord’s loyal love (vv. 41-42), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.
  20. Psalm 119:44 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43).
  21. Psalm 119:44 tn Or “forever and ever.”
  22. Psalm 119:45 tn Heb “and I will walk about in a wide place.” The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive gives a further consequence of the anticipated positive divine response (see vv. 43-44). Another option is to take the cohortative as expressing the psalmist’s request. In this case one could translate, “and please give me security.”
  23. Psalm 119:46 tn The series of four cohortatives with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive in vv. 46-48 list further consequences of the anticipated positive divine response to the request made in v. 43.
  24. Psalm 119:48 tn Lifting the hands is often associated with prayer (Pss 28:2; 63:4; Lam 2:19). (1) Because praying to God’s law borders on the extreme, some prefer to emend the text to “I lift up my hands to you,” eliminating “your commands, which I love” as dittographic. In this view these words were accidentally repeated from the previous verse. (2) However, it is possible that the psalmist closely associates the law with God himself because he views the law as the expression of the divine will. (3) Another option is that “lifting the hands” does not refer to prayer here, but to the psalmist’s desire to receive and appropriate the law. (4) Still others understand this to be an action praising God’s commands (so NCV; cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Proverbs 28:11

11 A rich person[a] is wise in his own opinion,[b]
but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.[c]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 28:11 tn Heb “a rich man,” although the context does not indicate that this is limited only to males.
  2. Proverbs 28:11 sn The idiom “in his own eyes” means “in his own opinion,” that is, his self conceit. The rich person thinks he is wise because he is rich, that he has made all the right choices.
  3. Proverbs 28:11 tn The form יַחְקְרֶנּוּ (yakhqerennu) means “he searches him” (cf. KJV, ASV) or “he examines him”; a potential imperfect nuance fits well here to indicate that a discerning person, even though poor, can search the flaws of the rich and see through the pretension and the false assumptions (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV “sees through him”). Several commentators have connected the word to the Arabic root hqr, which means “despise” (D. W. Thomas, “Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” JTS 38 [1937]: 400-403), but that would be both predictable and flat.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Posted on

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday November 22, 2023 (NIV)

Ezekiel 44:1-45:12

The Closed Gate

44 Then he brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that faces east, but it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me: “This gate will be shut; it will not be opened, and no one will enter by it. For the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it will remain shut. 3 Only the prince may sit in it to eat a sacrificial meal[a] before the Lord; he will enter by way of the porch of the gate and will go out by the same way.”

4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. As I watched, I noticed[b] the glory of the Lord filling the Lord’s temple, and I threw myself face down. 5 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, pay attention,[c] watch closely, and listen carefully to[d] everything I tell you concerning all the statutes of the Lord’s house and all its laws. Pay attention to the entrances[e] to the temple with all the exits of the sanctuary. 6 Say to the rebellious,[f] to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of all your abominable practices, O house of Israel! 7 When you bring foreigners, those uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, into my sanctuary, you desecrate[g] it—even my house—when you offer my food, the fat and the blood. You[h] have broken my covenant by all your abominable practices. 8 You have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have assigned foreigners[i] to keep charge of my sanctuary for you. 9 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner who is uncircumcised in heart and flesh among all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel will enter into my sanctuary.[j]

10 “‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for[k] their sin. 11 Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because they used to minister to them before their idols and became a sinful obstacle[l] to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow[m] concerning them, declares the Sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for[n] their sin. 13 They will not come near me to serve me as priest, nor will they come near any of my holy things, the things that are most sacred. They will bear the shame of the abominable deeds they have committed. 14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all its service, and all that will be done in it.

The Levitical Priests

15 “‘But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok[o] who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, will approach me to minister to me; they will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 They will enter my sanctuary and approach my table to minister to me; they will keep my charge.

17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they must wear linen garments; they must not have any wool on them when they minister in the inner gates of the court and in the temple. 18 Linen turbans will be on their heads and linen undergarments will be around their waists; they must not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat. 19 When they go out to the outer court to the people, they must remove the garments they were ministering in and place them in the holy chambers; they must put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.[p]

20 “‘They must not shave their heads[q] nor let their hair grow long;[r] they must only trim their heads. 21 No priest may drink wine when he enters the inner court. 22 They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel[s] or a widow who is a priest’s widow. 23 Moreover, they will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the ceremonially unclean and the clean.[t]

24 “‘In a controversy they will act as judges;[u] they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe[v] my Sabbaths.

25 “‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled;[w] however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister, they may defile themselves. 26 After a priest[x] has become ceremonially clean, they[y] must count off a period of seven days for him. 27 On the day he enters the sanctuary into the inner court to serve in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28 “‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property.[z] 29 They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. 30 The first of all the firstfruits and all contributions of any kind[aa] will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house. 31 The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal.[ab]

The Lord’s Portion of the Land

45 “‘When you allot the land as an inheritance, you will offer an allotment[ac] to the Lord, a holy portion from the land; the length will be 8¼ miles[ad] and the width 3⅓ miles.[ae] This entire area will be holy.[af] 2 Of this area a square 875 feet[ag] by 875 feet will be designated for the sanctuary, with 87½ feet[ah] set aside for its open space round about. 3 From this measured area you will measure a length of 8¼ miles[ai] and a width of 3⅓ miles;[aj] in it will be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4 It will be a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary who approach the Lord to minister to him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.[ak] 5 An area 8¼ miles[al] in length and 3⅓ miles[am] in width will be for the Levites, who minister at the temple, as the place for the cities[an] in which they will live.

6 “‘Alongside the portion set apart as the holy allotment, you will allot for the city an area 1⅔ miles[ao] wide and 8¼ miles[ap] long; it will be for the whole house of Israel.

7 “‘For the prince there will be land on both sides of the holy allotment and the allotted city, on the west side and on the east side; it will be comparable in length to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border 8 of the land. This will be his property in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people, but the land will be allotted to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

9 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people,[aq] declares the Sovereign Lord. 10 You must use just balances,[ar] a just dry measure (an ephah),[as] and a just liquid measure (a bath).[at] 11 The dry and liquid measures will be the same: The bath will contain a tenth of a homer,[au] and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer will be the standard measure. 12 The shekel will be twenty gerahs. Sixty shekels[av] will be a mina for you.

Footnotes:

  1. Ezekiel 44:3 tn Heb “to eat bread.”
  2. Ezekiel 44:4 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  3. Ezekiel 44:5 tn Heb “set your heart” (so also in the latter part of the verse).
  4. Ezekiel 44:5 tn Heb “Set your mind, look with your eyes, and with your ears hear.”
  5. Ezekiel 44:5 tc The Syriac, Vulgate, and Targum read the plural. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:618.
  6. Ezekiel 44:6 tc The LXX reads “house of rebellion.”
  7. Ezekiel 44:7 tn Heb “to desecrate.”
  8. Ezekiel 44:7 tc The Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions read “you.” The Masoretic text reads “they.”
  9. Ezekiel 44:8 tc Instead of an energic ו (nun), the text may have read a third masculine plural suffix ם (mem), “them,” which was confused with ן (nun) in the old script. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:621. tn This word is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied from the context.
  10. Ezekiel 44:9 sn Tobiah, an Ammonite (Neh 13:8), was dismissed from the temple.
  11. Ezekiel 44:10 tn Heb “will bear.”
  12. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “a stumbling block of iniquity.” This is a unique phrase of the prophet Ezekiel (cf. also Ezek 7:19; 14:3, 4, 7; 18:30).
  13. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
  14. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “will bear.”
  15. Ezekiel 44:15 sn Zadok was a descendant of Aaron through Eleazar (1 Chr 6:50-53) who served as a priest during David’s reign (2 Sam 8:17).
  16. Ezekiel 44:19 sn For a similar concept of transmitting holiness, see Exod 19:12-14; Lev 10:1-2; 2 Sam 6:7. Comparable laws concerning the priest are found in Lev 10 and 21.
  17. Ezekiel 44:20 sn The shaving of the head was associated with mourning (Ezek 7:18).
  18. Ezekiel 44:20 sn Letting the hair grow was associated with taking a vow (Num 6:5; Acts 21:23-26).
  19. Ezekiel 44:22 tn Heb “from the offspring of the house of Israel.”
  20. Ezekiel 44:23 sn This task was a fundamental role of the priest (Lev 10:10).
  21. Ezekiel 44:24 sn For a historical illustration of the priest carrying out this function, see 2 Chr 19:9-11.
  22. Ezekiel 44:24 tn Heb “sanctify, set apart.”
  23. Ezekiel 44:25 sn This law was part of the legal code for priests (Lev 21:1-3).
  24. Ezekiel 44:26 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  25. Ezekiel 44:26 tc One medieval Hebrew ms, the LXX, and the Syriac, along with Lev 15:13, 28, read the verb as singular.
  26. Ezekiel 44:28 sn See Num 18:20; Deut 10:9; 18:2; Josh 13:33; 18:7.
  27. Ezekiel 44:30 tn Heb has in addition “from your contributions,” a repetition unnecessary in English.
  28. Ezekiel 44:31 tn The words “by a wild animal” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation as a clarification of the circumstances.sn For this law, see Lev 7:24 and 17:15.
  29. Ezekiel 45:1 tn Heb “a contribution.”
  30. Ezekiel 45:1 tn Heb “25,000 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 kilometers). The measuring units here are the Hebrew “long” cubit, consisting of a cubit (about 18 inches or 45 cm) and a handbreadth (about 3 inches or 7.5 cm), for a total of 21 inches (52.5 cm). Because modern readers are not familiar with the cubit as a unit of measurement, and due to the additional complication of the “long” cubit as opposed to the regular cubit, all measurements have been converted to American standard miles (one mile = 5,280 feet), with the Hebrew measurements and the metric equivalents given in the notes.
  31. Ezekiel 45:1 tc The LXX reads “20,000 cubits.”tn Heb “10,000 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 kilometers).
  32. Ezekiel 45:1 tn Heb “holy it is in all its territory round about.”
  33. Ezekiel 45:2 tn Heb “500 cubits” (i.e., 262.5 meters); the phrase occurs twice in this verse.
  34. Ezekiel 45:2 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  35. Ezekiel 45:3 tn Heb “25,000 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 kilometers).
  36. Ezekiel 45:3 tn Heb “10,000 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 kilometers).
  37. Ezekiel 45:4 tc The LXX apparently understood “open land” instead of “sanctuary.”
  38. Ezekiel 45:5 tn Heb “25,000 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 kilometers).
  39. Ezekiel 45:5 tn Heb “10,000 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 kilometers).
  40. Ezekiel 45:5 tc The translation follows the LXX here. The MT reads “twenty.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:246.
  41. Ezekiel 45:6 tn Heb “5,000 cubits” (i.e., 2.625 kilometers).
  42. Ezekiel 45:6 tn Heb “25,000 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 kilometers).
  43. Ezekiel 45:9 sn Evictions of the less fortunate by the powerful are described in 1 Kgs 21:1-16; Jer 22:1-5, 13-17; Ezek 22:25.
  44. Ezekiel 45:10 sn Previous legislation regarding this practice may be found in Lev 19:35-36; Deut 25:13-16; Mic 6:10-12.
  45. Ezekiel 45:10 tn Heb “ephah,” which was 1/2 bushel.
  46. Ezekiel 45:10 tn Heb “bath,” a liquid measure, was 5 1/2 gallons.
  47. Ezekiel 45:11 sn The homer was about 5 bushels as a dry measure and 55 gallons as a liquid measure.
  48. Ezekiel 45:12 tn Heb “twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, fifteen shekels.”
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

1 Peter 1:1-12

Salutation

1 From Peter,[a] an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing[b] abroad[c] (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia,[d] and Bithynia) who are chosen[e] 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling[f] with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure![g]

New Birth to Joy and Holiness

3 Blessed be[h] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is,[i] into[j] an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy,[k] although you may have to suffer[l] for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith,[m] which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away[n]—and will bring praise[o] and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.[p] 8 You[q] have not seen him, but you love him. You[r] do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice[s] with an indescribable and glorious[t] joy, 9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation,[u] the prophets[v] who predicted the grace that would come to you[w] searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed[x] into what person or time[y] the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ[z] and his subsequent glory.[aa] 12 They were shown[ab] that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “Peter.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
  2. 1 Peter 1:1 tn Or “to those living as resident foreigners,” “to the exiles.” This term is used metaphorically of Christians who live in this world as foreigners, since their homeland is heaven.
  3. 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles. But here it is probably metaphorical, used of Gentile Christians spread out as God’s people in the midst of a godless world.
  4. 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
  5. 1 Peter 1:1 tn Or “to the chosen sojourners…” On this reading the phrases in v. 2 describe their entire existence as sojourners, etc., not just their election.
  6. 1 Peter 1:2 sn For obedience and for sprinkling indicates the purpose of their choice or election by God.
  7. 1 Peter 1:2 tn Grk “be multiplied to you.”
  8. 1 Peter 1:3 tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (eulogētos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. Two factors of the author’s style come into play. At this point the author is describing the reality of believers’ salvation and will soon explain believers’ necessary response; this is in emulation of Pauline style which generally follows the same logical order (although the author here discusses the reality in a much more compressed fashion). On the other hand, when imitating the Pauline greeting, which is normally verbless, the author inserts the optative (see v. 2 above). When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the fact that the author in the immediate context has used the optative when imitating a Pauline stylized statement would argue for the optative here. The translation uses the term “blessed” in the sense “worthy of praise” as this is in keeping with the traditional translation of berakah psalms. Cf. also 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3.
  9. 1 Peter 1:4 tn The phrase “that is” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the imperishable inheritance is in apposition to the living hope of v. 3.
  10. 1 Peter 1:4 tn Grk “into,” continuing the description of v. 3 without an “and.”
  11. 1 Peter 1:6 tn Grk “in which you exult.”
  12. 1 Peter 1:6 tc ‡ The oldest and best witnesses lack the verb (א* B, along with 1448 1611 syh), but most mss (P72 א2 A C P Ψ 048 33 1739 M) have ἐστίν here (estin, “[if] it is [necessary]”). The verb looks to be an explanatory gloss. But if no verb is present, this opens up the time frame in the author’s mind even more, since the conditional particle for both the first class condition and the fourth class condition is εἰ (ei). That may well be what was on the author’s mind, as evidenced by some of his other allusions to suffering in this little letter (3:14, 17). NA27 has the verb in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity, while NA28 omits the brackets altogether.tn Grk “Though now, for a little while if necessary, you may have to suffer.”
  13. 1 Peter 1:7 tn Or “genuineness,” the result of testing. On the other hand it may denote the process of testing: “that the proving of your faith…may bring praise.”sn The author is not asserting that the quality of the readers’ faith is in doubt and will be proven by future trials. He declares their faith to be a present reality in v. 5 and 9, so in context v. 8 affirms that their faith is indeed genuine.
  14. 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “which is passing away but is tested by fire,” describing gold in a lesser-to-greater comparison with faith’s proven character.
  15. 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “that the testing of your faith…may be found unto praise,” showing the result of the trials mentioned in v. 6.
  16. 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 13).
  17. 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “whom not having seen, you love.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  18. 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “in whom not now seeing…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  19. 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “in whom not now seeing but believing, you exult.” The participles have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  20. 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “glorified.”
  21. 1 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “about which salvation.”
  22. 1 Peter 1:10 sn Prophets refers to the OT prophets.
  23. 1 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “who prophesied about the grace that is to/for you.”
  24. 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “probing.” The participle continues the sentence from v. 10 but has been translated as an indicative for English style.
  25. 1 Peter 1:11 tn Or “time or circumstances,” focusing not on the person but on the timing and circumstances of the fulfillment.sn The OT prophets wondered about the person and the surrounding circumstances (time) through which God would fulfill his promised salvation.
  26. 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “the sufferings unto Christ,” i.e., sufferings directed toward him, what he was destined to suffer.
  27. 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “the glories after these things.”
  28. 1 Peter 1:12 tn Grk “to whom [pl.] it was revealed.”
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:17-32

ג (Gimel)

17 Be kind to your servant.
Then I will live[a] and keep[b] your instructions.[c]
18 Open[d] my eyes so I can truly see[e]
the marvelous things in your law.
19 I am a resident foreigner in this land.[f]
Do not hide your commands from me.
20 I desperately long to know[g]
your regulations at all times.
21 You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed.[h]
22 Spare me[i] shame and humiliation,
for I observe your rules.
23 Though rulers plot and slander me,[j]
your servant meditates on your statutes.
24 Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance.[k]

ד (Dalet)

25 I collapse in the dirt.[l]
Revive me with your word.[m]
26 I told you about my ways[n] and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes.
27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean.[o]
Then I can meditate[p] on your marvelous teachings.[q]
28 I collapse[r] from grief.
Sustain me by your word.[s]
29 Remove me from the path of deceit.[t]
Graciously give me[u] your law.
30 I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to[v] your regulations.
31 I hold fast[w] to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed.
32 I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so.[x]

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 119:17 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
  2. Psalm 119:17 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.
  3. Psalm 119:17 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.
  4. Psalm 119:18 tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).
  5. Psalm 119:18 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
  6. Psalm 119:19 sn Heb This metaphor probably derives from Lev 25:23, which uses the terms גֵּר (ger, “resident foreigner”) and תּוֹשָׁב; (toshav, “resident/temporary settler”). Lev 25:23 emphasizes that Israel would be a guest on God’s land. They were attached to the Lord’s household; they did not own the land. Cf. also Ps 39:12 and Gen 23:4.
  7. Psalm 119:20 tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”
  8. Psalm 119:21 tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.
  9. Psalm 119:22 tn Heb “roll away from upon me.” Some derive the imperatival form גַּל (gal) from גָּלָה (galah, “uncover,” as in v. 18), but here the form is from גָּלַל (galal, “roll”; see Josh 5:9, where חֶרְפָּה [kherpah, “shame; reproach”] also appears as object of the verb). Some, following the lead of a Dead Sea scroll (11QPsa), emend the form to גֹּל (gol).
  10. Psalm 119:23 tn Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר (davar) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב (bet), see Ezek 33:30.)
  11. Psalm 119:24 tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.
  12. Psalm 119:25 tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
  13. Psalm 119:25 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”
  14. Psalm 119:26 tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”
  15. Psalm 119:27 tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”
  16. Psalm 119:27 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
  17. Psalm 119:27 tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).
  18. Psalm 119:28 tn Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף (dalaf) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp, “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 44, 144.
  19. Psalm 119:28 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”
  20. Psalm 119:29 tn The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30.
  21. Psalm 119:29 tn Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5, where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)
  22. Psalm 119:30 tn BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8).
  23. Psalm 119:31 tn Or “cling to.”
  24. Psalm 119:32 tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Proverbs 28:8-10

8 The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest[a]
gathers it for someone who is gracious[b] to the needy.
9 The one who turns away his ear[c] from hearing the law,
even his prayer[d] is an abomination.[e]
10 The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way
will himself fall into his own pit,[f]
but the blameless will inherit what is good.[g]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 28:8 tn Heb “by interest and increase” (so ASV; NASB “by interest and usury”; NAB “by interest and overcharge.” The two words seem to be synonyms; they probably form a nominal hendiadys, meaning “by increasing [exorbitant] interest.” The law prohibited making a commission or charging interest (Exod 22:25; Lev 25:36-37; Deut 23:20; Ps 15:5). If the poor needed help, the rich were to help them—but not charge them interest.
  2. Proverbs 28:8 tn The term חוֹנֵן (khonen, “someone who shows favor”) is the active participle. sn The verse is saying that in God’s justice wealth amassed unjustly will eventually go to the poor. God will take the wealth away from them and give it to people who will distribute it better to the poor.
  3. Proverbs 28:9 sn The expression “turn away the ear from hearing” uses a metonymy to mean that this individual will not listen—it indicates a deliberate refusal to follow the instruction of the law.
  4. Proverbs 28:9 sn It is hard to imagine how someone who willfully refuses to obey the law of God would pray according to the will of God. Such a person is more apt to pray for some physical thing or make demands on God. (Of course a prayer of repentance would be an exception and would not be an abomination to the Lord.)
  5. Proverbs 28:9 sn C. H. Toy says, “If a man, on his part, is deaf to instruction, then God, on his part, is deaf to prayer” (Proverbs [ICC], 499). And W. McKane observes that one who fails to attend to God’s law is a wicked person, even if he is a man of prayer (Proverbs [OTL], 623).
  6. Proverbs 28:10 sn The image of falling into a pit (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis, involving implied comparison) is meant to say that the evil to which he guides people will ultimately destroy him.
  7. Proverbs 28:10 sn This proverb is teaching that those who corrupt others will be destroyed, usually by their own devices, but those who manage to avoid being corrupted will be rewarded. According to this proverb the righteous can be led astray (e.g., 26:27).
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Posted on

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday November 21, 2023 (NIV)

Ezekiel 42-43

Chambers for the Temple

42 Then he led me out to the outer court, toward the north, and brought me to the chamber that was opposite the courtyard and opposite the building on the north. 2 Its length was 175 feet[a] on the north side,[b] and its width 87½ feet.[c] 3 Opposite the 35 feet[d] that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement that belonged to the outer court, gallery faced gallery in the three stories. 4 In front of the chambers was a walkway on the inner side, 17½ feet[e] wide at a distance of 1¾ feet,[f] and their entrances were on the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were narrower, because the galleries took more space[g] from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. 6 For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore, the upper chambers[h] were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle ones. 7 As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet[i] long. 8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet[j] long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet[k] long. 9 Below these chambers was a passage on the east side as one enters from the outer court.

10 At the beginning[l] of the wall of the court toward the south,[m] facing the courtyard and the building, were chambers 11 like those on the north with a passage in front of them. The chambers that were toward the south were the same length and width as those on the north, and had matching exits and entrances and arrangements. 12 There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers that face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests[n] who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”

15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate that faces east and measured all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring stick[o] as 875 feet[p] by the measuring stick. 17 He measured the north side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 18 He measured the south side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 19 He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet by the measuring stick. 20 He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.

The Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then he brought me to the gate that faced toward the east. 2 I saw[q] the glory of the God of Israel[r] coming from the east;[s] the sound was like that of rushing water,[t] and the earth radiated[u] his glory. 3 It was like the vision I saw when he[v] came to destroy the city, and the vision I saw by the Kebar River. I threw myself face down. 4 The glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate that faces east. 5 Then a wind[w] lifted me up and brought me to the inner court; I watched[x] the glory of the Lord filling the temple.[y]

6 I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man was standing beside me. 7 He said to me: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne[z] and the place for the soles of my feet,[aa] where I will live among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their spiritual prostitution or by the pillars of their kings set up when they die.[ab] 8 When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorpost by my doorpost, with only the wall between me and them, they profaned my holy name by the abominable deeds they committed. So I consumed them in my anger. 9 Now they must put away their spiritual prostitution and the pillars of their kings far from me, and then I will live among them forever.

10 “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins and measure the pattern. 11 When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its pattern, its exits and entrances, and its whole design—all its statutes, its entire design, and all its laws; write it all down in their sight, so that they may observe its entire design and all its statutes and do them.

12 “This is the law of the temple: The entire area on top of the mountain all around will be most holy. Indeed, this is the law of the temple.

The Altar

13 “And these are the measurements of the altar:[ac] Its base[ad] is 1¾ feet[ae] high[af] and 1¾ feet[ag] wide, and its border nine inches[ah] on its edge. This is to be the height[ai] of the altar. 14 From the base of the ground to the lower ledge is 3½ feet,[aj] and the width 1¾ feet;[ak] and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, 7 feet,[al] and the width 1¾ feet; 15 and the altar hearth, 7 feet, and from the altar hearth four horns projecting upward. 16 Now the altar hearth[am] is a perfect square, 21 feet[an] long and 21 feet wide. 17 The ledge is 24½ feet[ao] long and 24½ feet wide on four sides; the border around it is 10½ inches,[ap] and its surrounding base 1¾ feet.[aq] Its steps face east.”

18 Then he said to me: “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These are the statutes of the altar: On the day it is built to offer up burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it,[ar] 19 you will give a young bull for a sin offering to the Levitical priests who are descended from Zadok, who approach me to minister to me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 20 You will take some of its blood and place it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around; you will purify it and make atonement for it.[as] 21 You will also take the bull for the sin offering, and it will be burned in the appointed place in the temple, outside the sanctuary.

22 “On the second day, you will offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering. They will purify the altar just as they purified it with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you will offer an unblemished young bull and an unblemished ram from the flock. 24 You will present them before the Lord, and the priests will scatter salt on them[at] and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “For seven days you will provide every day a goat for a sin offering; a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish, will be provided. 26 For seven days they will make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, so they will consecrate it.[au] 27 When the prescribed period is over,[av] on the eighth day and thereafter the priests will offer up on the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings;[aw] I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Footnotes:

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  2. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “the door of the north.”
  3. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  4. Ezekiel 42:3 tn Heb “20 cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
  5. Ezekiel 42:4 tn Heb “10 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
  6. Ezekiel 42:4 tc Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm). The LXX and the Syriac read: “100 cubits” (= 175 feet or about 53m).
  7. Ezekiel 42:5 tn The verb יוֹכְלוּ (yokhelu) “took space” is listed by BDB 37 as אָכַל (’akhal, “eat, consume”), though it prefers to emend the text. HALOT also lists this verb as אכל (1:46) while also listing it under יכל,“prevail” (2:410-11). If אָכַל is correct, then the א (’alef) has dropped out. See the note at Ezek 21:28. BHS refers to a few medieval manuscripts and a Qumran manuscript including the א, יֹאכְלוּ instead of יוֹכְלוּ; both are pronounced the same.
  8. Ezekiel 42:6 tn The phrase “upper chambers” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied from the context.
  9. Ezekiel 42:7 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  10. Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  11. Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  12. Ezekiel 42:10 tc The reading is supported by the LXX.
  13. Ezekiel 42:10 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads: “east.”
  14. Ezekiel 42:13 sn The priests are from the Zadokite family (Ezek 40:6; 44:15).
  15. Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “reed” (also in the following verses).
  16. Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “500 cubits” (i.e., 262.5 meters).
  17. Ezekiel 43:2 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  18. Ezekiel 43:2 sn This same title appears in 8:4; 9:3; 10:19; 11:22.
  19. Ezekiel 43:2 sn Earlier Ezekiel had observed God leaving the temple to the east (11:23).
  20. Ezekiel 43:2 sn See Ezek 1:24; Rev 1:15; 14:2; 19:6.
  21. Ezekiel 43:2 tn Heb “shone from.”
  22. Ezekiel 43:3 tc Heb “I.” The reading is due to the confusion of yod (י, indicating a first person pronoun) and vav (ו, indicating a third person pronoun). A few medieval Hebrew mss, Theodotion’s Greek version, and the Latin Vulgate support a third person pronoun here.
  23. Ezekiel 43:5 tn See note on “wind” in 2:2.
  24. Ezekiel 43:5 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  25. Ezekiel 43:5 sn In 1 Kgs 8:10-11 we find a similar event with regard to Solomon’s temple. See also Exod 40:34-35 and Isa 6:4.
  26. Ezekiel 43:7 sn God’s throne is mentioned in Isa 6:1 and Jer 3:17.
  27. Ezekiel 43:7 sn See 1 Chr 28:2; Pss 99:5; 132:7; Isa 60:13; Lam 2:1.
  28. Ezekiel 43:7 tn Heb “by their corpses in their death.” But the term normally translated “corpses” is better understood here as a reference to funeral pillars or funerary offerings. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:583-85, and L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:257.
  29. Ezekiel 43:13 tn Heb “the measurements of the altar by cubits, the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth.” The measuring units here and in the remainder of this section are the Hebrew “long” cubit, consisting of a cubit (about 18 inches or 45 cm) and a handbreadth (about 3 inches or 7.5 cm), for a total of 21 inches (52.5 cm). Because modern readers are not familiar with the cubit as a unit of measurement, and due to the additional complication of the “long” cubit as opposed to the regular cubit, all measurements have been converted to American standard feet and inches, with the Hebrew measurements and the metric equivalents given in the notes. On the altar see Ezek 40:47.
  30. Ezekiel 43:13 tn The Hebrew term normally means “bosom.” Here it refers to a hollow in the ground.
  31. Ezekiel 43:13 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm).
  32. Ezekiel 43:13 tn The word “high” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
  33. Ezekiel 43:13 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm).
  34. Ezekiel 43:13 tn Heb “one span.” A span was three handbreadths, or about nine inches (i.e., 22.5 cm).
  35. Ezekiel 43:13 tc Heb “bulge, protuberance, mound.” The translation follows the LXX.
  36. Ezekiel 43:14 tn Heb “2 cubits” (i.e., 1.05 meters).
  37. Ezekiel 43:14 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm; the phrase occurs again later in this verse).
  38. Ezekiel 43:14 tn Heb “4 cubits” (i.e., 2.1 meters; the phrase also occurs in the next verse).
  39. Ezekiel 43:16 tn The precise Hebrew word used here to refer to an “altar hearth” occurs only here in the OT.
  40. Ezekiel 43:16 tn Heb “12 cubits” (i.e., 6.3 meters; the phrase occurs twice in this verse).
  41. Ezekiel 43:17 tn Heb “fourteen”; the word “cubits” is not in the Hebrew text but is understood from the context; the phrase occurs again later in this verse. Fourteen cubits is about 7.35 meters.
  42. Ezekiel 43:17 tn Heb “half a cubit” (i.e., 26.25 cm).
  43. Ezekiel 43:17 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm).
  44. Ezekiel 43:18 sn For the “sprinkling of blood,” see Lev 1:5, 11; 8:19; 9:12.
  45. Ezekiel 43:20 sn Note the similar language in Lev 16:18.
  46. Ezekiel 43:24 sn It is likely that salt was used with sacrificial meals (Num 18:19; 2 Chr 13:5).
  47. Ezekiel 43:26 tn Heb “fill its hands.”
  48. Ezekiel 43:27 tn Heb “and they will complete the days.”
  49. Ezekiel 43:27 sn The people also could partake of the food of the peace offering (Lev 3).
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

James 5

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud[a] over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure![b] 4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[c] 5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.[d] 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.[e]

Patience in Suffering

7 So be patient, brothers and sisters,[f] until the Lord’s return.[g] Think of how the farmer waits[h] for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient[i] for it until it receives the early and late rains. 8 You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,[j] so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates![k] 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters,[l] take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 11 Think of how we regard[m] as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.[n] 12 And above all, my brothers and sisters,[o] do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.

Prayer for the Sick

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint[p] him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.[q] 16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.[r] 17 Elijah was a human being[s] like us, and he prayed earnestly[t] that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 18 Then[u] he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.

19 My brothers and sisters,[v] if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path[w] will save that person’s[x] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Footnotes:

  1. James 5:1 tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”
  2. James 5:3 tn Or “hoarded up treasure for the last days”; Grk “in the last days.”
  3. James 5:4 tn Traditionally, “Lord of Hosts” or “Lord Sabaoth,” which means “Lord of the [heavenly] armies,” sometimes translated more generally as “Lord Almighty.”
  4. James 5:5 sn James’ point seems to be that instead of seeking deliverance from condemnation, they have defied God’s law (fattened your hearts) and made themselves more likely objects of his judgment (in a day of slaughter).
  5. James 5:6 tn Literally a series of verbs without connectives, “you have condemned, you have murdered…he does not resist.”
  6. James 5:7 tn Grk “brothers”; this phrase occurs again three times in the paragraph. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  7. James 5:7 tn Or “advent”; or “coming” (also in v. 8).
  8. James 5:7 tn Grk “Behold! The farmer waits.”
  9. James 5:7 tn Grk “being patient.”
  10. James 5:9 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  11. James 5:9 sn The term gates is used metaphorically here. The physical referent would be the entrances to the city, but the author uses the term to emphasize the imminence of the judge’s approach.
  12. James 5:10 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  13. James 5:11 tn Grk “Behold! We regard…”
  14. James 5:11 sn An allusion to Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Pss 86:15; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.
  15. James 5:12 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  16. James 5:14 tn Grk “anointing.”
  17. James 5:15 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
  18. James 5:16 tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”
  19. James 5:17 tn Although it is certainly true that Elijah was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) has been translated as “human being” because the emphasis in context is not on Elijah’s masculine gender, but on the common humanity he shared with the author and the readers.
  20. James 5:17 tn Grk “he prayed with prayer” (using a Hebrew idiom to show intensity).
  21. James 5:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events.
  22. James 5:19 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
  23. James 5:20 tn Grk “from the error of his way” (using the same root as the verb “to wander, to err” in the first part of the verse).
  24. James 5:20 tn Grk “his soul”; the referent (the sinner mentioned at the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:1-16

Psalm 119[a]

א (Alef)

119 How blessed are those whose actions are blameless,[b]
who obey[c] the law of the Lord.
2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,
and seek him with all their heart,
3 who, moreover, do no wrong,
but follow in his footsteps.[d]
4 You demand that your precepts
be carefully kept.[e]
5 If only I were predisposed[f]
to keep your statutes.
6 Then I would not be ashamed,
if[g] I were focused on[h] all your commands.
7 I will give you sincere thanks,[i]
when I learn your just regulations.
8 I will keep your statutes.
Do not completely abandon me.[j]

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young person[k] maintain a pure life?[l]
By guarding it according to your instructions.[m]
10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not allow me to stray from your commands.
11 In my heart I store up[n] your words,[o]
so I might not sin against you.
12 You deserve praise,[p] O Lord.
Teach me your statutes.
13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed.[q]
14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules[r]
as if[s] they were riches of all kinds.[t]
15 I will meditate on[u] your precepts
and focus on[v] your behavior.[w]
16 I find delight[x] in your statutes;
I do not forget your instructions.[y]

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 119:1 tn The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.
  2. Psalm 119:1 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”
  3. Psalm 119:1 tn Heb “walk in.”
  4. Psalm 119:3 tn Heb “walk in his ways.”
  5. Psalm 119:4 tn Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”
  6. Psalm 119:5 tn Heb “if only my ways were established.”
  7. Psalm 119:6 tn Or “when.”
  8. Psalm 119:6 tn Heb “I gaze at.”
  9. Psalm 119:7 tn Heb “I will give you thanks with an upright heart.”
  10. Psalm 119:8 tn Heb “do not abandon me to excess.” For other uses of the phrase עַד מְאֹד (ʿad meʾod, “to excess”), see Ps 38:6, 8.
  11. Psalm 119:9 tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”
  12. Psalm 119:9 tn Heb “purify his path.”
  13. Psalm 119:9 tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”
  14. Psalm 119:11 tn Or “hide.”
  15. Psalm 119:11 tn Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”
  16. Psalm 119:12 tn Heb “[are] blessed.”
  17. Psalm 119:13 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
  18. Psalm 119:14 tn Heb “in the way of your rules.”
  19. Psalm 119:14 tn Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19).
  20. Psalm 119:14 tn Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4; Ezek 27:12, 18.
  21. Psalm 119:15 tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.
  22. Psalm 119:15 tn Heb “gaze [at].”
  23. Psalm 119:15 tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).
  24. Psalm 119:16 tn The imperfects in this verse emphasize the attitude the psalmist maintains toward God’s law. Another option is to translate with the future tense, “I will find delight…I will not forget.”
  25. Psalm 119:16 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural here.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Proverbs 28:6-7

6 A poor person[a] who walks in his integrity is better
than one who is perverse in his ways[b] even though[c] he is rich.[d]
7 The one who keeps the law[e] is a discerning child,[f]
but a companion of gluttons brings shame to[g] his parents.[h]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 28:6 sn This chapter gives a lot of attention to the contrast between the poor and the rich, assuming an integrity for the poor that is not present with the rich; the subject is addressed in vv. 6, 8, 11, 20, 22, 25, and 27 (G. A. Chutter, “Riches and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs,” Crux 18 [1982]: 23-28).
  2. Proverbs 28:6 tn The Hebrew term translated “ways” is in the dual, suggesting that the person has double ways, i.e., he is hypocritical. C. H. Toy does not like this idea and changes the form to the plural (Proverbs [ICC], 497), but his emendation is gratuitous and should be rejected.
  3. Proverbs 28:6 tn Heb “and he is rich.” Many English versions treat this as a concessive clause (cf. KJV “though he be rich”).
  4. Proverbs 28:6 sn This is another “better” saying, contrasting a poor person who has integrity with a rich person who is perverse. Of course there are rich people with integrity and perverse poor people, but that is not of interest here. If it came to the choices described here, honest poverty is better than corrupt wealth.
  5. Proverbs 28:7 tn The Hebrew word could refer (1) to “instruction” by the father (cf. NCV) or (2) the Mosaic law (so most English versions). The chapter seems to be stressing religious obedience, so the referent is probably the law. Besides, the father’s teaching will be what the law demands, and the one who associates with gluttons is not abiding by the law.
  6. Proverbs 28:7 tn Heb “son,” but the immediate context does not suggest limiting this only to male children.
  7. Proverbs 28:7 sn The companion of gluttons shames his father and his family because such a life style as he now embraces is both unruly and antisocial.
  8. Proverbs 28:7 tn Heb “father,” but the immediate context does not suggest limiting this only to the male parent.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Posted on

11/20/2023 DAB Transcript

Ezekiel 40:28-41:26, James 4:1-17, Psalm 118:19-29, Proverbs 28:3-5

Today is the 20th day of November, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian, it is wonderful to be here with you today, like every day. It’s great to be gathered together around the Global Campfire, everybody has a place, we’re all cozy together. It’s a safe oasis for us to simply allow the Scriptures to come into our lives. So, let’s do exactly that and focus our heart and attention on God’s word. We’re reading from the New Living Translation this week and continuing our journey through the book of Ezekiel, today chapters 40 verse 28 through 41 verse 26.

Commentary:

Okay, so, James is doing what James does in giving us a nice quick kick in the pants today on our relationships. He asked this question today. And it really should perk all of our attention because we kind of all want to know. The question is, what is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Right, we want to know the answer to that. What is it that is bringing tension into a relationship that erupts into a conflict. But then James leads us to consider that maybe it’s not the other person. He says, don’t those conflicts come from the evil desires at war with in you? In other words, before it ever becomes a conflict with another person, there’s already something going on within ourselves. That’s putting a mirror up in front of us; that snaps things into perspective. And he goes on to explain that these conflicts, they happen inside of us, because we have desires that we think we’re entitled to. We’re not getting what we think we deserve in some way, and we perceive that maybe somebody else is. And so, conflict and attempts to take things by force cause quarrels and fights among us. And we find that we’re lacking, or that we perceive that we’re lacking in our lives, and then we try to balance the scales because we’re in competition with everybody else. So, we try to force our will upon other people. We’re absolutely not going to get anywhere. We’re not going to get fulfillment. We’re looking in the wrong place. And James says it like this, you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong. You want only what will give you pleasure. James is trying to drill down; he’s trying to get down to the base of it all. And he tells us: don’t you realize that your friendship with the world, makes you an enemy of God. If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. So, let’s just kind of reverse this out a little bit and think about it. If we’re going to use the system of the world to gain identity and to compete with one another to try to do better or worse or to be worshiped because we can throw ourselves into some kind of spotlight. If we’re gonna use this system, we’re not in the kingdom of God operating the way that the kingdom of God works. We’re making ourselves an enemy of God. I’m just like standing here thinking about this as we’re talking about it. And I’m like man, I don’t, I don’t want to be at odds with God, like at all, for any reason, at all. That’s a big deal, to make yourself an enemy of God. Who’s gonna win that one? So, this sense of lack and this sense of competition and this sense of identity and all these things that we jostle around and have quarrels and fights among us. If we just be honest and think about it. We’re saying, God’s not coming through and we deserve more. We are entitled to more than we have, God isn’t enough and so, we look outside the relationship to get what we need. We’re gonna go get our needs met outside the relationship. That’s not gonna work in my house, and I don’t think that’s gonna work in your house either. And so, that shouldn’t work in our relationship with God. And so, James, sums up what he saying to us today with very famous passage of Scripture that kind of ties this all together for us. Here’s what you do: humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come close to God and God will come close to you. Wash your hand, you sinners, purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done, let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up in honor.

Prayer:

And so, Father, that’s where we find ourselves in this posture of humility, with head bowed. Seeing ourselves for who we are and what we’ve done. We tell ourselves the story of ourselves, and we lie to ourselves all of the time, and we have to face the implications of what we do and the impact that it has on people. We realize that our lives matter because it’s having impact. And it’s not always having the kind of impact that would be anything like Your kingdom. It’s all about our own kingdom. It’s all about our own desires and wants and what we’re gonna take and what we’re entitled to. We’ve been invited by James today to humble ourselves and so, here we are, resisting the urge to be entitled to something that we’re gonna take. We humble ourselves before You and come close to You. You are the only source of life. The only place of meaning. The only opportunity for fulfillment. Come, Holy Spirit, we humble ourselves before You. Forgive us, lead us into the truth we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com that is home base and it’s the website where you can find out what’s going on around here.

And so, I have something to tell you about, but it happened a couple of weeks ago. But now, we have the all-clear to talk about it. So, our daughter China and my wife Jill, they head up Daily Audio Bible Chronological, on the Chronological Channel. And so, everybody over there kind of knows China’s been pregnant and she stepped away to have the baby and she did, a couple weeks ago. And we’ve been just kind of nesting and settling in. But China has had her daughter, her second daughter, and her name is Finley, Finley Beck Brave and she was born on 21st of October. A whopping nine and a, well 9 lbs. 2 oz. and she is the current joy of our lives. She’s very mild-mannered little thing, and we all love taking turns with her and loving on her and welcoming her into our story and becoming a part of her story as we all continue the stories that we are telling stories of our lives in relationship to God. So, thank you for your continued prayers over China and Ben as they adjust to having a newborn and adjust to having another child. And as we continue to take steps forward day by day in our lives and in the Scriptures and in community, but we want to welcome officially welcome Finley, Finley Brown, the newest addition to the Daily Audio Bible family here.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. Thank you, humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, that’s little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hi, Daily Audio Family, Daily Audio Bible Family that is. Thank you for your prayers. I wanna have a, give a praise for my son Mitchell. This is Brian in Huber Heights, Ohio. When I went to visit him, he brought his Bible out and he was reading it to me. And he’s been reading his Bible and seeking God. I just wanna ask a prayer request for him. They’re having trouble releasing him because his behavior in the past has been so, so horribly bad that he’s gotten kicked out of several rehabs and really, he’s burned a lot of the bridges that can help him. I just pray that and ask you to pray that he gets the right case management, the right case manager. Goes to the right rehab and has housing, that he would not be homeless anymore. Also, wanna continue to ask prayer for my ex-wife Kathy and I, that God would heal our lives and bring us together and reconcile us. And for my other two children, Matt and Ashley, that they would start seeking God and find a church and seek God with their lives. Bless Ashley with a healthy baby, my first grandchild. I have so much to be thankful for. Praise You, God. And I really thank Brian Hardin for this ministry, it is wonderful, it is a life changer. And I tell everybody I know about it. And I do pray for everyone here on this and on the Prayer Wall. Thank you very much. God bless.

Salutations, my DAB family. It’s His Little Songbird from Alberta, Canada. And I’m gonna address a few, a few prayer requests today. Sheena from Saskatchewan, in two weeks you go to court. I’m praying for both you and for my, for grace and for mercy and for God’s will to be done. Kingdom Seeker Daniel and Sam from Seattle, you also have court about the same time. I will be holding you all up in prayer as well. From Junk to Treasure, your son, sounds like he’s losing his job and his cars been sabotaged. One daughter fighting with her husband. Another daughter has a grand, or as a child that is having to go into the hospital with seizures. Father God, we just, I wanna lift up this entire family to You, Lord. I ask for a hedge of protection around them and for the blood of Jesus to be covering each and every member of the family, right down to the children, Lord. I’m asking for Your protection from Satan’s darts and from his evil schemes. And Lord, I’m asking that all assignments against the family, From Junk to Treasure, from her, all the way down to the end, Lord, I’m asking Lord, that the assaults of the enemy and the assignments of the enemy will be cancelled. That’s it. Done. Lord, I ask that You give this family Your strength, Your courage, Your determination, and Your will. Father, I ask that You shine Your face upon them, Lord, and I ask for Your favor on each and every member of her family. And I thank You so much for this, Lord. Amen.

Precious brothers and sisters across this globe, my name is Linda, in Wilsonville, Oregon. And I’m calling to ask that you will lift my 44-year-old daughter in prayer for a miracle. She has been newly diagnosed with a stage 4, triple negative breast cancer that has now affected her spine, her liver and her lungs. She’s in sever pain in her lower extremities. She has been treated for a different diagnosis for a year and a half, along with her daddy, who we lost in April. And she is now enduring this tragedy of cancer. She has two young children, a loving husband. She’s very strong and doing everything she can: dietary, wholistic and conventional interventions. She needs a miracle of healing and I know our sovereign God is capable of that. Please, pray with us for that miracle. I thank you with all my heart.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible. This is Brian from Huber Heights, thanking everybody for all your prayers for my son Mitchell. He is, they are considering releasing him from the mental hospital. I want that to be the right time and with all the things set up for him to go to rehab and having housing. Also, my other two children, Matt and Ashley, Lord, for all three of my children’s salvation. For my ex-wife Kathy and I to reconcile. I have, something I do want to ask for prayer about. I’m going to have a CAT scan tomorrow, which will be Friday, the 17th, to find out whether I have any issues in my lungs. I was exposed to asbestos in a job I was at for 23 years. Praying that the test will all come back negative. And I do wanna say one thing, one thing comes to mind when I listen to the Daily Audio Bible and it’s a verse from Acts, Acts 18:9-10. When it was speaking to Paul about him being afraid to go someplace. One night, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, do not stop speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you. No one will attack and harm you because I have many people in this city. There’s many, God has many people on the Daily Audio Bible, and I thank Brian Hardin and his family and all that makes this possible. It’s a real life-changer. God bless everyone and thank you.