02/28/2023 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, Psalms 44:1-8, Proverbs 10:19

Today is the 28th day of February welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is fantastic to be here with you today as we reach the…the ending point of the second month of the year. So, when we get finished today, we will have completed two full months of the year. I am still finding that hard to believe but this is where we are and it’s wonderful to be here with you today around the Global Campfire. And our next step forward leads us back into the book of Leviticus. Today we’ll read chapter 22 verse 17 through 23 verse 44.

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the gospel of Mark today we have this really brief, really poignant exchange between John the apostle or disciple of Jesus and the Savior, Jesus. And John comes to Jesus and says, “teacher we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us.” So, it’s a brief exchange. Jesus responds. We’ll talk about that in the second. It’s a brief exchange, but it’s poignant because it’s in the Scriptures. And, so, we need to pay attention to it. But it’s poignant because what Jesus is addressing here is very much still with us today. As believers or followers or disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we probably know other people who are also followers of Jesus, and we probably have some kind of community with those people, probably even a faith community, a church community. And, so, we can find what it is that sits well with us, or maybe the way that we were raised and so we kind of stick to that form and that model and build community around that. And that’s not a big deal. Like there are faith communities all over the world. That’s wonderful. We typically find ourselves in community with people that we understand and people who have common interests or common convictions or common beliefs. It just gets a little sideways in our spirituality when we begin to believe that our tribe, our community, we have…we have something that nobody else does, we have the complete truth. Our tribe is doing this the right way. Our leaders have a corner on the market here. We’re doing this the right way. And, so, then we look across the street or down the road or we look across town or we look across the country or the world and see that there are other ways of doing things and we don’t like that, and we don’t agree with that. And, so, we dismiss that. And by dismissing that we dismiss brothers and sisters who also are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, who have seen things from a different viewpoint than we have but we dismiss them as a less than because our tribe has the true. And, so, whether we realize it or not, we build walls around ourselves. And then when different ways of thinking or understanding or whatever, different things that happen inside of community actually get inside the community then it can split the community because we typically find ourselves in a battle to be right, not in a battle for redemption and reconciliation. So, in our lifetimes we’ve seen plenty of churches that split apart, we’ve seen denominations that have split apart and broken fellowship with each other over theological understandings. And that is like willful segregation from each other. Like are we one body or not? And, so, typically when there’s a group of people that need to be right, they think they’re the body. Everybody else’s needs to join in and everybody else needs to get on board because we…we can’t imagine that God would honor or use somebody or some group of people that don’t see it the way that we do, that don’t agree with…with what we think, that aren’t a part of us, that aren’t a part of our clan or group, which is what John is saying to Jesus. “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us.” And responding to this, Jesus hands us direction. Jesus responded to John by saying, “don’t stop him. No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you even a cup of water in my name, because you belong to the Messiah, will certainly not lose their reward.” So, it just makes…it makes one wonder what the world might look like if just in this one area we who follow Christ espoused the teaching of Christ because here we are in the gospel of Mark and we still have Luke and John to go but we’re…we’re well underway now. We’ve been walking alongside Jesus in the New Testament since we began our journey this year. So, we’re far enough in that we’re getting a glimpse of who Jesus is and what He has to say. And if were paying attention so much of what He has to say boils down to how we are supposed to be taking care of each other. In fact, I quote from our reading in Mark today from the lips of Jesus. “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Everyone is supposed to be taking care of everyone. And so often we find ourselves segregated into camps and we’ll take care of our own, but we wouldn’t even give a spiritual cup of water to anyone else. This isn’t how we are supposed to be. And we have a long-running history that goes all the way back to the New Testament of dealing with this right up until this very day. And the system isn’t going to change because it was never really supposed to be a system. And if we look back into the Gospels at the stories of Jesus that we are walking through, Jesus wasn’t trying to change the system either even though the system was so broken that it couldn’t see God right in front of their eyes, that it denied the work of God and attributed to the devil. Like Jesus didn’t come to change the system, He came to change the hearts of mankind, because when people’s hearts are changed systems change, which lands all of this right back in our own laps where it belongs. And we’re invited to think about how we may be withholding even a cup of water. And, so, may we take it to heart and consider today, and as we so often talk about, go through this day watching ourselves, watching what’s going on inside of us, watching what rises up within us and asking ourselves, is this…is this the way? Is this how it’s done? Is this how Jesus handles these kinds of situations? How do I be the servant in this situation, especially in this season of Lent, a season to repent, a season to reflect and examine the weightiness of our lives, both for righteousness and for everything less than righteousness, a time for us to consider.

Prayer:

Jesus, we invite You into that. We have the model that You gave us of Your life. And we read of it and we learn about it and sometimes we’ve heard it so many times we think we understand it and then we come back again and realize there’s so much more to learn. There’s so much more to be transformed within us. You have taken the penalty of sin away from us forever and ever and have made a way for us to live as we were intended, as we were created in this world with a posture of heart that looks out at…at Your children all over the earth. And then so often we just adopt the customs of our culture and throw a label of godliness on it when it’s not what You are showing us and not what You are teaching. And, so, maybe we need some time for reflection, and we invite Your Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. And we pray this in Your name. Amen.

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

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi Daily Audio Bible this is Cynthia for from Virginia I’m calling to pray for all of the community that went down to Israel. Lord I’m praying that…and thanking You that they all got back safe and sound. And I also pray that You will help them Father God with their jet lag. Help them to get over that as quick as possible Father God Lord and let them spread the experience that they had to their family members Father God. I also come to You Lord praying for each and every member of this community Father God. You know each and every one of us Father God. You know what we’re going through, even those that don’t call in their prayers Father God. Lord, we ask that You heal Father God. Let Your healing powers go through. Heal cancer Father God. Heal all ailments, things that are going on in our lives. Heal our bodies Father God. Heal the addictions. Heal marriages Father God. Heal our children from God. Heal anything that just needs healing. You know what it is from God. I just thank You in advance and I just say Hallelujah Hallelujah. Thank You. I also want to please pray for my mom’s Father God. I’m trusting that God will heal these eyes, Lord. I have no vision but I want my total vision back and I know that God can do it and I’m just praying and thanking Him in advance and trusting Him and I just hope that we all will put on all our trust in Him because He is able and I thank you Lord in Jesus name I pray Amen.

Good morning good morning, DABbers this is Morningstar from Canada calling except I’m calling it from Mexico. We’re actually on a little vacation here in daring the sun and warm weather. But I wanted to call in today. I was struck especially not only by the readings this morning which I always enjoy but by Brian’s commentary and introduction to the season of lent. This is Ash Wednesday. And although I was, you know, as a follower of Christ all my life growing up in the church, I was very much aware of Easter and Good Friday but perhaps not as aware of the season of lent and what those days prior to Easter really mean for me personally as a follower of Christ. And, so, when Brian talked this morning about this being a season of repentance that really struck me. Holy Spirit really touched me with those words and challenged me. Often when I think of repentance, you know, we maybe think of the big things, the big sins and sort of give ourselves an excuse, a way out. But this morning as Brian spoke I was really touched by those words and recognize that perhaps this is a challenge to me about entering a season of repentance, repentance from perhaps things like attitudes or opinions or just laziness or maybe it’s just a complacency that so easily comes to each of us. And, so, I pray that for each of us, that we will enter this season of repentance and ask the Lord to really clean our hearts. Bless you all.

Good morning DAB family I’m calling in response to a prayer request that I heard as I was listening on the 22nd of February. It was a lady. It was at the end of prayer. She called in saying that she was in the last few weeks of a pregnancy and that she had gestational diabetes and that her blood pressure was starting to rise, and she was kind of afraid that induction was going to happen and that she got overwhelmed because there was so much love to do. And I know how it feels sweet mama, that I have three kids of my own and I never felt ready for any of them but just know that whatever’s going to happen it’s going to be OK. And I know that’s cliché to say but let…let the Lord really, really guide you. Listen to His voice as you wait for your little one to arrive. Let Him just be your comfort and your strength and your peace. Even though it feels like you know everything around you is kind of chaotic in all these decisions that you may or may not have to make I pray that you just listen to His voice so clearly and that He will speak straight to you in your heart and that your delivery will be smoothly in the name of Jesus, no complications no issues. And that we speak to blood pressure that it has to go down in the name of Jesus, that it’s not going to affect your delivery and the rest of your pregnancy and that when baby is out there will be no more diabetes and your health will go straight back to normal because the Lord didn’t go to the cross and die for all that for nothing. So, Lord, I just thank You that right now that it is done, that we are going to hear an amazing report that she had her baby and everything went well and that You were right there in the delivery room with her. And I pray that You would just bring people to surround her as she’s delivering and calm her nerves Lord in these last few weeks, that You just bring people just to surround her. And we just thank You for doing it Jesus’ name.

Hi this is Sarah calling from Colorado. I’d like to pray for the young woman who called at the very end of the February 22nd podcast. She has gestational diabetes. She's…she’s pregnant and she’s nearing the end of her pregnancy. She’s got the gestational diabetes. She’s got…she’s got the increase in her blood pressure and the doctor wants to induce her. She just is not ready for the baby yet. She has things left to do, things that she needs to get I believe. Lord I’m just asking that…I’m just asking for my brothers and sisters on the DAB to pray with me for her, just to pray that she would seek out the help of her church to ask for things that she needs so that the body of Christ can stand alongside her and provide her needs Lord. You are the great provider Lord and You work through Your people. And Lord I just ask that You make the end of this pregnancy joyful and that…and that everything…she will be safe, and her baby will be safe and that she gets all the things she needs by way of the body of Christ. Lord let this woman be…just enjoy the last days of her pregnancy and welcoming her new baby into the world Lord and that she can know that You have…You have stood alongside her, You have stood with her You have provided for her and…and that all will be very well. And I pray this in the precious name of Jesus. She didn’t leave her name. She didn’t say where she was. How I wish she knew she was…if she was around the corner from me, I would just help over with so many things Lord. Let…let the body of Christ do this for her. I pray this in Jesus’ precious name. Love you DAB family. Bye-bye.

Hi DAB family. Thank you for everyone who’s praying for marriages and for family. I want to do the same today but also wanna ask for some prayer for my marriage and my family. Last time I called I identified as Joseph in the Pit when Joseph was cast in the pit by his brothers, Genesis. Although God has been gracious and done amazing things since my last call, I still feel that I’m in prison and still a long way away from reaching what God wants to achieve in my life just as I believe and He’s doing in all of yours. Please pray for my marriage. I’ve reluctantly come to the conclusion that I’ve been suffering from a mild form of abuse and sometimes not so mild forms over the past 25 years just because of a wife who technically who can be described as a narcissist. Due to trauma and pain from her childhood tries to control things and every aspect of my and her life as a way of feeling secure rather than looking towards the Lord. I pray and I ask for you to pray that the Lord will intervene in her life and show her that He’s in control. So, please pray with me. There’s a deadline on the 1st of April for unrealistic expectation of what I need to…I need to do and if it’s not met it will lead to separation. So, I pray for everyone who are going through difficult times in their marriage. I pray for the families in the DAB community. I pray Lord that you’re in control and I thank you for all the prayer support that we give one another in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday February 28, 2023 (NIV)

Leviticus 22:17-23:44

Flawless Animals for Sacrifice

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or any stranger in Israel who presents his offering, whether to fulfill any of their vows or as any of their freewill (voluntary) offerings which they presented to the Lord as a burnt offering— 19 so that you may be accepted—it must be a male without blemish from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats. 20 You shall not offer anything which has a blemish, because it will not be accepted for you.(A) 21 Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a special vow to the Lord or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish in it. 22 Animals that are blind or fractured or mutilated, or have a sore or a running wound or an itch or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord nor make an offering of them by fire on the altar to the Lord. 23 For a freewill offering you may offer either a bull or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member (deformity), but for [the payment of] a vow it will not be accepted. 24 You shall not offer to the Lord any animal which has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut off, or sacrifice it in your land. 25 Nor shall you offer as the food of your God any such [animals obtained] from a foreigner, because their corruption and blemish makes them unfit; there is a defect in them, they shall not be accepted for you.’”

26 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain for seven days with its mother; and after the eighth day it shall be accepted as an offering by fire to the Lord. 28 And whether [the mother] is a cow or a sheep, you shall not kill both it and its young in one day. 29 When you sacrifice an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the next morning; I am the Lord. 31 So you shall keep My commandments and do them; I am the Lord.

32 “You shall not profane My holy name [using it to honor an idol, or treating it with irreverence or contempt or as a byword]; but I will be sanctified (set apart as holy) among the Israelites. I am the Lord, who sanctifies and declares you holy, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord.”

Laws of Religious Festivals

23 The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The appointed times (established feasts) of the Lord which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these:

The Sabbath

‘For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation (calling together). You shall not do any work [on that day]; it is the Sabbath of the Lord [a]wherever you may be.

The Passover and Unleavened Bread

‘These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times: The Lord’s Passover is on the fourteenth day of the first month [b]at twilight. The Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord is on the fifteenth day of the same month; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.(B) On the first day you shall have a holy convocation (calling together); you shall not do any laborious work [on that day]. But you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord for seven days; on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work [on that day].’”

The Feast of First Fruits

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am giving you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the [c]sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord so that you may be accepted; the priest shall wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 Now on the day when you wave the sheaf you shall offer a male lamb one year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with [olive] oil, an offering by fire to the Lord for a sweet and soothing aroma, with its drink offering [to be poured out], a fourth of a [d]hin of wine. 14 You shall not eat any bread or roasted grain or new growth, until this same day when you bring in the offering to your God; it is a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you may be.

The Feast of Weeks

15 ‘You shall count from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf (tied bundle of grain) of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths (seven full weeks). 16 You shall count [e]fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord. 17 You shall bring in from your places two loaves of bread as a wave offering, made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall offer with the bread seven unblemished lambs, one year old, and one young bull and two rams. They are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord. 19 And you shall sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering and two male lambs, one year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 The priest shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the first fruits and the two lambs. They are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 On this same day you shall make a proclamation, you are to have a holy convocation (calling together); you shall not do any laborious work [on that day]. It is to be a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you may be.

22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the edges of your field, nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God.’”

The Feast of Trumpets

23 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Say to the children of Israel, ‘On the first day of the seventh month (almost October), you shall observe a day of solemn sabbatical rest, a memorial day announced by the blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall not do any laborious work [on that day], but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.’”

The Day of Atonement

26 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall [f]humble yourselves [by fasting] and present an offering by fire to the Lord. 28 You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. 29 If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them]. 30 If there is any person who does any work on this same day, I will destroy that person from among his people. 31 You shall do no work at all [on that day]. It is a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you may be. 32 It is to be to you a Sabbath of complete rest, and you shall humble yourselves. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath.”

The Feast of Booths

33 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Say to the children of Israel, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, and for seven days, is the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) to the Lord. 35 The first day is a holy convocation (calling together); you shall not do any laborious work [on that day]. 36 For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord. It is a festive assembly; you shall not do any laborious work [on that day].

37 ‘These are the appointed times (established feasts) of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to present an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its own day. 38 This is in addition to the [weekly] Sabbaths of the Lord, and in addition to your gifts and all your vowed offerings and all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord.

39 ‘On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month (nearly October), when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days, with a Sabbath rest on the first day and a Sabbath rest on the eighth day. 40 Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick (leafy) trees, and willows of the brook [and make booths of them]; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a permanent statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall live in booths (temporary shelters) for seven days; all native-born in Israel shall live in booths, 43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’” 44 So Moses declared to the Israelites the appointed feasts of the Lord.

Footnotes:

  1. Leviticus 23:3 Lit in all your dwellings and so throughout the chapter.
  2. Leviticus 23:5 Lit between the two evenings.
  3. Leviticus 23:10 I.e. a tied bundle of stalks of freshly harvested grain.
  4. Leviticus 23:13 I.e. approx one gal.
  5. Leviticus 23:16 This is the origin of the name “Pentecost,” Greek for “fiftieth.”
  6. Leviticus 23:27 See note 16:29.
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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Mark 9:30-10:12

Death and Resurrection Foretold

30 They went on from there and began to go through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it, 31 because He was teaching His disciples [and preparing them for the future]. He told them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies], and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise [from the dead] three days later.” 32 But [a]they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him [what He meant].

33 They arrived at Capernaum; and when He was in the [b]house, He asked them, “What were you discussing and arguing about on the road?”(A) 34 But they kept quiet, because on the road they had discussed and debated with one another which one [of them] was the greatest. 35 Sitting down [to teach], He called the twelve [disciples] and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all [in importance] and a servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them; and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives and welcomes one child such as this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not [only] Me, but Him who sent Me.”(B)

Dire Warnings

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not accompanying us [as Your disciple].”(C) 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us.(D) 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will not lose his reward.

42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe and trust in Me to stumble [that is, to sin or lose faith], it would be better for him if a heavy millstone [one requiring a donkey’s strength to turn it] were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.(E) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It is better for you to enter life crippled, than to have two hands and go into [c]hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [d][where their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.](F) 45 If your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, 46 [e][where their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.](G) 47 If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, throw it out [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm [that feeds on the dead] does not die, and the fire is not put out.(H)

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good and useful; but if salt has lost its saltiness (purpose), how will you make it salty? Have salt within yourselves continually, and be at peace with one another.”

Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce

10 Getting up, He left there (Capernaum) and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; and crowds gathered around Him again and accompanied Him, and as was His custom, He once more began to teach them.

Pharisees came to Jesus to test Him [intending to trick Him into saying something wrong], and asked Him, “Is it lawful [according to Scripture] for a man to divorce his wife and send her away?” He replied to them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”(I) But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of hearts [your callousness and insensitivity toward your wives and the [f]provision of God] he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.(J) For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother [to establish a home with his wife],(K) and the two shall become one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but [are united as] one flesh.(L) Therefore, what God has united and joined together, man must not separate [by divorce].”

10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him again about this. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Footnotes:

  1. Mark 9:32 Cf v 10.
  2. Mark 9:33 Probably Peter’s home.
  3. Mark 9:43 See note Matt 5:22.
  4. Mark 9:44 Vv 44 and 46 are not found in early mss.
  5. Mark 9:46 Vv 44 and 46 are not found in early mss.
  6. Mark 10:5 God provided for divorce under certain circumstances, but the Pharisees expanded the reasons for divorce and abused God’s provision.
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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 44:1-8

Former Times of Help and Present Troubles.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.

44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us
The work You did in their days,
In the days of old.

You drove out the [pagan] nations with Your own hand;
Then you planted and established them (Israel);
[It was by Your power that] You uprooted the [pagan] peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.

For our fathers did not possess the land [of Canaan] by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them,
But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
Because You favored and delighted in them.


You are my King, O God;
Command victories and deliverance for Jacob (Israel).

Through You we will gore our enemies [like a bull];
Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.

But You have saved us from our enemies,
And You have put them to shame and humiliated those who hate us.

In God we have boasted all the day long,
And we will praise and give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 10:19

19 
When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable,
But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

2/27/2023 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18

Today is the 27th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is a joy to be here with you today, as we gather around the Global Campfire, take the next step forward together, and just enjoy the peace and serenity of the Global Campfire. This place that we come every day, that is a place of peace, a place for us to center ourselves in the Scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us and sounds great to be here in this space with you today, to take the next step forward. And that will lead us back into the book of Leviticus. Today, we will read chapter 20 verse 22 through chapter 22 verse 16.

Commentary:

So, let’s just hang out t in Proverbs for a second. One sentence, whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. Let’s just think about that person that’s in our life, maybe at church, maybe at work, who knows where, that we just can’t stand. Just can’t. They say offensive things all the time. Maybe we’ve been offended, maybe they just something that’s not true about us. We just avoid them. But it’s not really just avoidance, we use, we strike back covertly. Maybe they said something at some point and it’s just stuck and we get still burning inside of us, we’re still mad about it. Everybody has experiences like this from time to time. It’s just how do we deal like, what do we do with that. Cause a lot of times when there’s an offense, it gets stuck inside of us. We keep thinking about it. We keep reliving the moment. We can find ourselves more angry later on than we ever were in the moment, we just keep replaying it over and over. So, anytime that person comes up in conversation or whatever, we’re pulled back into that and you don’t have anything good to say. And maybe just to kind of even the scales, at least in our own minds and hearts, we go to our friends and tell the whole story about that person, we gossip about them, tear them down. We call them into question, we call their character into question, we call their family and we call whatever we can into question. And you know we have to actually be in that person’s presence, and we just fake it, like there’s nothing wrong. Like that’s not, like just saying it, we know that’s not healthy, we just do these kinds of things. The Proverb says whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. What that one sentence does is force us to consider our thoughts, words and deeds toward this person. Does the gossip and slander about this person take any less energy than just going to the person, even if there isn’t reconciliation, to just call things into the light and move toward peace with one another. Like, is all of the covert things that we might do to even the scales and diminish this other person, take less energy and does it bring us more wholeness? And we might approach this person, who may be not responsive in any sort of way. And so, us just approaching them and holding out an olive branch and saying man we have gotten sideways, and I feel like we could actually work better together. Maybe that doesn’t work, maybe the person doesn’t want anything to do with you at this point. But moving in that direction is a better choice than being a liar and a fool. And I get it, people are complicated, we’re complicated, and things go sideways all of the time, and we have all kinds little offenses that we can deal with. But what if we didn’t though, what if we didn’t, what would life be like if we weren’t carrying all of that around. So, this Proverb can actually step right up to us, look us in the eyes and we may not like what it’s suggesting and now we have to think about all this stuff. But the Proverbs aren’t here for condemnation purposes, they’re here to cut through, to cut through the fog, to give clarity, to bring truth and now we have heard it. And now we should wrestle with it in our lives. We don’t have to listen to the wisdom of the Proverbs. We can ignore it. But what if we heeded it. So many of these times in the Bible steps right up to us and says something we have to ask ourselves, even if we don’t like the changes that it might suggest that we need to make inside of our hearts. Like, what’s the downside? That we may have to be more humble, that we might have to be more long-suffering in order to put what is broken back together and do the work of God in this world. Because the flipside is that we have to be more arrogant and more dishonest, that we have to make a fool of ourselves, according to the Proverbs. So, what’s the downside of paying attention to what Proverbs is saying and incorporating it into our lives and in our relationships. Because what the Proverbs is…is telling us is that our re-actions to things can make a fool out of us and a liar out of us. So, let’s give it some thought. Today we might even catch ourselves moving in that direction and maybe we stop ourselves because there’s no downside to putting what’s broken back together. This is the work of God.

Prayer:

And so, Father, we invite You into that interpersonal relationships at work, at church, at home everywhere we go. Everybody’s got their stuff, we all have our brokenness, we all have our stories and some of them have been very difficult stories indeed. So, we find ourselves reacting to all kinds of things, in all kinds of ways. You are inviting us through the voice of wisdom here, to take a beat. And if we do this, and we begin to do this repeatedly, like we don’t just react, we don’t just follow the old path, we take a moment and think about what is actually going on. Inviting Your Holy Spirit, so that we might humble ourselves, so that we might actually be Your ambassadors in this world. So much can change with such little repentances, with such little changes. So much of life can change with just a little changes. Help us to make these, show us how, help us to not react, may our reactions be to turn to You and seek You, as we move forward. We pray this in the precious name of Jesus who modeled this for us, so that we have a picture of what this looks like in the Gospels, make us like You, make us whole. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Announcements:

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If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. Thank you, humbly, we wouldn’t be around the Global Campfire if we weren’t around it together, and so thank you deeply. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. 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.

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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, this is Z1 praying for Junk to Treasure. We hear you sister. My grandma, God’s Chosen, wants me to pray for your requests. So, that’s what I’m here to do. Junk to Treasure, I am praying for God’s hand of support for Junk to, for you during these difficult situations. You are her refuge and strength, God, her present help in trouble. Hold her hand and do not let her fall. Life, here on earth, is filled with trials and tribulation. Let Your grace be upon her during the trials of anguish. 1 Peter 1 verse 3-4, 2 Corinthians verse 4 through 17. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. An eternity with the Lord, we will know no longer have to fear hard times, because everything will be made perfect. I pray God gives you strength during this season, send plenty of help to help you grow closer to God and His Holy word. Amen. Don’t worry, we all hear you, we’re all praying for you. And when you are sad, we are sad in our hearts because we love you. You’re a part of our family and we’ve got your back. So, thank you for listening to this prayer and I hope this has lifted your spirits. And this is not of me, but it is of God and God will give you the strength you need to overcome these tough times. And He will bring these tough times to an end with His sword of justice. All in good time. God’s plan is for you. God has got a good plan for you. God knows where your life will go to. So, keep it up. Good work sister. We love you. Thank you. Bye.

Hi, everyone. I just wanted to quick, come on here and ask for prayer. Kind of reluctantly, I don’t know why. But I guess I’ve just been in this long season of discouragement. Just mental health diagnosis in the last three years, PTSD and bipolar and no very stable. I’ve been on long-term disability through my previous job. It’s been a year and a half now and that disability will be up in October. I thought it was gonna be a little longer. But, honestly, I have struggled my entire adult life to work full-time for you know, any, sustainable length of time. And I’m really, really anxious and nervous and just fearful and I know the enemy is the one trying to discourage me. I know the Holy Spirit’s giving me discernment about that. And I just have this sense that the Lord wants to use my story one day, that, you know, He wants to be glorified in this. That He’s got some kind of plan that’s way bigger me but I don’t understand right now. I’m just really anxious. I just feel like I’m up against impossible odds, right now, financially. Like, there’s always just enough. He’s so good, He always provides. I have so many blessings. I have a degree and I managed to get it and a career that I love, eventually, I hope. That I’ve been doing on and off before I got really unwell. And I just really need prayer. I know He’s building me up in this season, showing me the warrior I am in Him and building my trust with him. But my strength is just failing, every day, and the enemy is relentless. So, encouragement would really be appreciated and prayer.

Good morning, Daily Audio Bible Family. I’m calling in for prayers for my life. I’ve been wanting to set it down, but it has really been challenging because I’ve been in a relationship, but things are not working. I am thinking of moving on. It hurts that I would give in this much and nothing comes out of it. I do not know if it’s my perception towards marriage. Cause I haven’t had this pleasure of a family, you know. In Africa, when you’re both 30 and you have a good job, you, the pleasure of the family to see you settle down becomes really, really high. And I’ve not really been getting an easy with family. So, I want to use this Lent period to really focus on my relationship with God and while I’m doing that, I was the one, my Daily Audio Bible family to put me in their prayers. I would love to encounter someone who values me as much as I value her. Who would choose to compromise as much as I would choose to compromise or maybe less. I just want to be in a relationship with someone who understands me. Because I believe if that relationship is to last, we all have compromises that we should make. So, put me in your prayers as we go through it. And I’m hoping to come back here with a testimony. Probably sometime. Thank you Daily Audio Bible.

Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, Daily Audio Bible Family. This is Matthew from the United Kingdom. Today is the 22nd of February 2023 and beginning of Lent. And this is the period when one would come and think about our life and repent of our sins. I sometimes pray for brothers and sisters whose problems are presented on this platform. Thank you Brian Hardin for all that you do, for this, for the Holy Spirit to flow in this platform. This morning, or whatever it is, whatever time it is, wherever you are, let us lift up our brother team. Before his throne of grace and mercy, and ask for more of his mercy in the life of team. Team, today is the day that begins repentance. Team has repented before you and for that ___, asking for restoration. For that, I stand with team, and ask you Lord, for restoration for team. Asking You, Lord, that You cleanse team from all unrighteousness, oh God. Lord, that You would restore team, full unto You and restore his ministry back to him. In the name of Jesus. Father, if we say have no sin, that the truth is not in us, for all of us have sinned and have fallen short of your glory. You said, if we confess our sins, that You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hi DAB family, my name is Evelynn, I’m calling from Berlin. Good afternoon, yeah, about two months ago, I called for prayers for my mom, who was going through stage 4 breast cancer. Today, makes one month exactly that she passed. She went to be with the Lord. Yeah, it’s been hard, it’s been hard without her. Especially for my dad. I can hear the pain, I can see the pain in his eyes. First there girls, three girls, it’s, it’s, it’s just been hard. So, I’m calling for prayers that you stand in the gap, you pray alongside with us, as we get through this process of trying to figure things out. You know, and yeah, I’m also asking for prayers over my mind, over the spirit of fear, anxiety and worry. That’s, you know, having a family member go through such, is kind of hard. So, yeah, heavenly Father, I ask that You’d stand by everyone who is going through loss, who is going through a grieving process. I ask Lord Jesus, that You stand by us, that You support us, that we feel Your love, Your support, Your embrace around us during these trying times. In Jesus name. Amen. Thank you so much. Bye.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday February 27, 2023 (NIV)

Leviticus 20:22-22:16

22 “You must keep all my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you as your new home will vomit you out. 23 Do not live according to the customs of the people I am driving out before you. It is because they do these shameful things that I detest them. 24 But I have promised you, ‘You will possess their land because I will give it to you as your possession—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from all other people.

25 “You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you. 26 You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.

27 “Men and women among you who act as mediums or who consult the spirits of the dead must be put to death by stoning. They are guilty of a capital offense.”

Instructions for the Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

“A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean by touching the dead body of a relative. The only exceptions are his closest relatives—his mother or father, son or daughter, brother, or his virgin sister who depends on him because she has no husband. But a priest must not defile himself and make himself unclean for someone who is related to him only by marriage.

“The priests must not shave their heads or trim their beards or cut their bodies. They must be set apart as holy to their God and must never bring shame on the name of God. They must be holy, for they are the ones who present the special gifts to the Lord, gifts of food for their God.

“Priests may not marry a woman defiled by prostitution, and they may not marry a woman who is divorced from her husband, for the priests are set apart as holy to their God. You must treat them as holy because they offer up food to your God. You must consider them holy because I, the Lord, am holy, and I make you holy.

“If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she also defiles her father’s holiness, and she must be burned to death.

10 “The high priest has the highest rank of all the priests. The anointing oil has been poured on his head, and he has been ordained to wear the priestly garments. He must never leave his hair uncombed[a] or tear his clothing. 11 He must not defile himself by going near a dead body. He may not make himself ceremonially unclean even for his father or mother. 12 He must not defile the sanctuary of his God by leaving it to attend to a dead person, for he has been made holy by the anointing oil of his God. I am the Lord.

13 “The high priest may marry only a virgin. 14 He may not marry a widow, a woman who is divorced, or a woman who has defiled herself by prostitution. She must be a virgin from his own clan, 15 so that he will not dishonor his descendants among his clan, for I am the Lord who makes him holy.”

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, 17 “Give the following instructions to Aaron: In all future generations, none of your descendants who has any defect will qualify to offer food to his God. 18 No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed, 19 or has a broken foot or arm, 20 or is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or has a defective eye, or skin sores or scabs, or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron who has a defect may approach the altar to present special gifts to the Lord. Since he has a defect, he may not approach the altar to offer food to his God. 22 However, he may eat from the food offered to God, including the holy offerings and the most holy offerings. 23 Yet because of his physical defect, he may not enter the room behind the inner curtain or approach the altar, for this would defile my holy places. I am the Lord who makes them holy.”

24 So Moses gave these instructions to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

22 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to be very careful with the sacred gifts that the Israelites set apart for me, so they do not bring shame on my holy name. I am the Lord. Give them the following instructions.

“In all future generations, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean when he approaches the sacred offerings that the people of Israel consecrate to the Lord, he must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.

“If any of Aaron’s descendants has a skin disease[b] or any kind of discharge that makes him ceremonially unclean, he may not eat from the sacred offerings until he has been pronounced clean. He also becomes unclean by touching a corpse, or by having an emission of semen, or by touching a small animal that is unclean, or by touching someone who is ceremonially unclean for any reason. The man who is defiled in any of these ways will remain unclean until evening. He may not eat from the sacred offerings until he has bathed himself in water. When the sun goes down, he will be ceremonially clean again and may eat from the sacred offerings, for this is his food. He may not eat an animal that has died a natural death or has been torn apart by wild animals, for this would defile him. I am the Lord.

“The priests must follow my instructions carefully. Otherwise they will be punished for their sin and will die for violating my instructions. I am the Lord who makes them holy.

10 “No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offerings. Even guests and hired workers in a priest’s home are not allowed to eat them. 11 However, if the priest buys a slave for himself, the slave may eat from the sacred offerings. And if his slaves have children, they also may share his food. 12 If a priest’s daughter marries someone outside the priestly family, she may no longer eat the sacred offerings. 13 But if she becomes a widow or is divorced and has no children to support her, and she returns to live in her father’s home as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food again. Otherwise, no one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offerings.

14 “Any such person who eats the sacred offerings without realizing it must pay the priest for the amount eaten, plus an additional 20 percent. 15 The priests must not let the Israelites defile the sacred offerings brought to the Lord 16 by allowing unauthorized people to eat them. This would bring guilt upon them and require them to pay compensation. I am the Lord who makes them holy.”

Footnotes:

  1. 21:10 Or never uncover his head.
  2. 22:4 Traditionally rendered leprosy; see note on 13:2a.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Mark 9:1-29

Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”

The Transfiguration

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man[b] had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”

11 Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]

12 Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.[d] So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19 Jesus said to them,[e] “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil[f] spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.[g]

Footnotes:

  1. 9:5 Greek three tabernacles.
  2. 9:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  3. 9:11 Greek that Elijah must come first?
  4. 9:18 Or becomes weak.
  5. 9:19 Or said to his disciples.
  6. 9:25 Greek unclean.
  7. 9:29 Some manuscripts read by prayer and fasting.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 43

Psalm 43

Declare me innocent, O God!
Defend me against these ungodly people.
Rescue me from these unjust liars.
For you are God, my only safe haven.
Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?
Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 10:18

18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
slandering others makes you a fool.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


02/26/2023 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalms 42:1-11, Proverbs 10:17

Today is the 26th day of February welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is great to be here with you as we greet a brand-new shiny sparkly week. And before this week is out we will…we will greet a brand-new shiny sparkly month. That is where we find ourselves in the year. I can’t believe we are already…well…let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but we are about to greet the third month of the year. Didn’t we just start this year it feels like? But here we are day by day step-by-step, the next step forward together. And that next step will lead us back into the book of Leviticus. We’ll read from the New International Version this week and today Leviticus chapter 19 verse 1 through 20 verse 21.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for this brand-new week, all shiny and sparkly and offered to us as a gift to live, have life, and enjoy fellowship with You and one another. We thank You for this week. We ask that You lead us on the steps that we need to take and on the choices that we need to make. And along with the psalmist we pray, as the deer pants for streams of water, our souls pant for You, our souls for You, the living God. It is Your presence that we seek every moment of this week that we might be awake, alert and aware that You are always with us, that You are always leading us, that we just need to pay attention. Ans, so, help us Holy Spirit to slow down and pay attention, to consultant wisdom, to allow Your Holy Spirit to lead us in the way that we should go. Come Holy Spirit into all of this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi, my Daily Audio Bible family this is Work in Progress. I have kind of an urgent prayer request for my daughter. My daughter over the last few years has really struggled with I guess mental illness and it’s led to some very dark paths for her including drug addiction, which she’s gone through treatment for, but her life has still been a mess and she’s destroyed it. And the other day about a week ago we got a call from her, and she had said…she had said that she had been raped. And…and we just got a call from our other daughter who…who said that she has spoke with her sister and she’s afraid that she’s being trafficked, which is kind of like the thing I was afraid the most would happen. And anyway, we can’t reach her, we don’t know where she’s at and I’m really afraid for her. You know growing up she…she loved God’s word. She used to listen to Daily Audio Bible. So, she has God’s word in her but she needs help and she needs healing, like real healing. So, if you would please pray for her. Pray for her safety. Pray she’s rescued from whatever she’s experiencing and also pray for justice for anybody that’s hurt her. Thank you, family.

Hello DAB this is Kay from Ohio I want to pray for Kevin who called in I think it was the 16th or 17th of February but he said he was just getting divorced from his wife three weeks ago and he’s just worried about his kids, his house, what is he gonna do from here on out. And Kevin I’m speaking from experience, it’s hard. It was hard. I didn’t know which way to turn. And I knew God, but never did I draw closer than I did at that time at the hardest time of my life. God drew me in, and I had no other choice but to trust Him and to do His holy, divine will. And He showed up. So, remain faithful and know that God has it all in His hands. God bless you.

Hey there dabbalamma family this is Dare Dreamer in Indianapolis just wanted to give you guys a little prayer encouragement. Gonna pray for three people hopefully if I can in my words few. First of all for the son of Tanya who…whose friend Melissa called in from Albertville on the December 5th podcast. Just wanted to lift her friend’s son up and for the spouse who left him, just please and blessing over him. As a …yeah…as a  __ he took some hits and deals with mental health problems. And yeah, so many of our veterans have to keep fighting on in that way so it’s one of them in prayer. Lord I…actually I just want to also pray for…for Delta Echo Fox…Foxtrot. I can say that…down in Texas for his boss, may his boss find comfort and peace in you, yeah, God. And lastly for our lovely lovely sister Radiant Rachel who is so kind to pray in for us all the time. So, Lord cover all these people. Let them be blessed in You, let them receive You and abide in You and find everything in You that they need. I pray this all in your name. Amen.

Hey this goes out to From Junk to Treasure. This is Micah in Awe in the Kansas City MO area? Sister do you know who you are on the Lord? You’re so important to the Lord sister. I’ve heard you pray for so many. I’ve heard you bless so many and encourage so many. Satan doesn’t like it. He’s trying to mess with you. Remember who you are in the Lord and remember that life is full of valleys and mountains, springs, summers, falls, winter. You’re in a winter period. You’ll come out of it. Things will get better, and I know you know it. I know you believe, and nothing could take that from you. But I am gonna ask, Lord we ask for deliverance Lord. She’s looking around, she’s looking from which way her help will come. Lord ride into this situation like a mighty warrior. Destroy the enemy with a simple breath and laugh at her enemies Lord. Destroy anything that would cause a decrease of peace and joy in her life Lord. Just bring that peace back. We need our sister strong, blessing, and encouraging others lower like she was, and she still is. But we need her strong and we need her happy for that Lord. She’s a strong prayer warrior and You know it Lord. You know her faithfulness in Your kingdom, and we just ask for some peace in her life and deliverance for all the things that are going on. Her family Lord, let her family be blessed because of her, because of her love for You Lord. Let it…let it reach into her grandkid’s lives, her daughter’s lives. Just bring about peace in all the different ways. Send the angel armies to guide her family Lord and start bringing them into the truth of who You are, the grandsons, and just bless her Lord in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Junk to Treasure this is God’s Life Speaker. I am going to talk, read, and pray through Nehemiah 4. Prayer through hard patches is what I call this chapter. The enemy will taunt us. Pray. The work will be hard and even discouraging. Pray. Verse seven says the breaches began to be closed and it angered the enemy. The enemy will heat up. Pray. Verse nine says but we prayed to our God and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. Set up a guard and pray. Verse 13 is talking about exposed places to gather and keep your faith. It says then I stationed the men at the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places. And I stationed the people and families. We’re your family. With their swords spears and bows. Pray. And in verse 14 it says do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers and your sons and your daughters and your wives and your houses. Rally up. And verse 20 it says our God will fight for us. God will carry on. All we need to do in verse 21, so we carried on the work with half of them holding spears through the dawn until the stars appear. Heavenly father the DAB family is gathering around from Junk to Treasure. In the name of Jesus, we come at her finances, we come at those relationships, we come at the things that are just knocking her down. Lord we ask in the name of Jesus that you lift her up above these things. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday February 26, 2023 (NIV)

Leviticus 19:1-20:21

Holiness in Personal Conduct

19 The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

“Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God.

“Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.

“When you sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord, offer it properly so you[a] will be accepted by God. The sacrifice must be eaten on the same day you offer it or on the next day. Whatever is left over until the third day must be completely burned up. If any of the sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will be contaminated, and I will not accept it. Anyone who eats it on the third day will be punished for defiling what is holy to the Lord and will be cut off from the community.

“When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.

11 “Do not steal.

“Do not deceive or cheat one another.

12 “Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the Lord.

13 “Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.

“Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay.

14 “Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.

15 “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.

16 “Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people.[b]

“Do not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is threatened. I am the Lord.

17 “Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives.[c] Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.

18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

19 “You must obey all my decrees.

“Do not mate two different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread.

20 “If a man has sex with a slave girl whose freedom has never been purchased but who is committed to become another man’s wife, he must pay full compensation to her master. But since she is not a free woman, neither the man nor the woman will be put to death. 21 The man, however, must bring a ram as a guilt offering and present it to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[d] 22 The priest will then purify him[e] before the Lord with the ram of the guilt offering, and the man’s sin will be forgiven.

23 “When you enter the land and plant fruit trees, leave the fruit unharvested for the first three years and consider it forbidden.[f] Do not eat it. 24 In the fourth year the entire crop must be consecrated to the Lord as a celebration of praise. 25 Finally, in the fifth year you may eat the fruit. If you follow this pattern, your harvest will increase. I am the Lord your God.

26 “Do not eat meat that has not been drained of its blood.

“Do not practice fortune-telling or witchcraft.

27 “Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards.

28 “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord.

29 “Do not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be filled with prostitution and wickedness.

30 “Keep my Sabbath days of rest, and show reverence toward my sanctuary. I am the Lord.

31 “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.

32 “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord.

33 “Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. 34 Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

35 “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or volume. 36 Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry materials or liquids must be accurate.[g] I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37 “You must be careful to keep all of my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice. I am the Lord.”

Punishments for Disobedience

20 The Lord said to Moses, “Give the people of Israel these instructions, which apply both to native Israelites and to the foreigners living in Israel.

“If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death. The people of the community must stone them to death. I myself will turn against them and cut them off from the community, because they have defiled my sanctuary and brought shame on my holy name by offering their children to Molech. And if the people of the community ignore those who offer their children to Molech and refuse to execute them, I myself will turn against them and their families and will cut them off from the community. This will happen to all who commit spiritual prostitution by worshiping Molech.

“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community. So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.

“Anyone who dishonors[h] father or mother must be put to death. Such a person is guilty of a capital offense.

10 “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

11 “If a man violates his father by having sex with one of his father’s wives, both the man and the woman must be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.

12 “If a man has sex with his daughter-in-law, both must be put to death. They have committed a perverse act and are guilty of a capital offense.

13 “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.

14 “If a man marries both a woman and her mother, he has committed a wicked act. The man and both women must be burned to death to wipe out such wickedness from among you.

15 “If a man has sex with an animal, he must be put to death, and the animal must be killed.

16 “If a woman presents herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it, she and the animal must both be put to death. You must kill both, for they are guilty of a capital offense.

17 “If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a shameful disgrace. They must be publicly cut off from the community. Since the man has violated his sister, he will be punished for his sin.

18 “If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual period, both of them must be cut off from the community, for together they have exposed the source of her blood flow.

19 “Do not have sexual relations with your aunt, whether your mother’s sister or your father’s sister. This would dishonor a close relative. Both parties are guilty and will be punished for their sin.

20 “If a man has sex with his uncle’s wife, he has violated his uncle. Both the man and woman will be punished for their sin, and they will die childless.

21 “If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has violated his brother, and the guilty couple will remain childless.

Footnotes:

  1. 19:5 Or it.
  2. 19:16 Hebrew Do not act as a merchant toward your own people.
  3. 19:17 Hebrew for your brother.
  4. 19:21 Hebrew Tent of Meeting.
  5. 19:22 Or make atonement for him.
  6. 19:23 Hebrew consider it uncircumcised.
  7. 19:36 Hebrew Use an honest ephah [a dry measure] and an honest hin [a liquid measure].
  8. 20:9 Greek version reads Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of. Compare Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Mark 8:11-38

Pharisees Demand a Miraculous Sign

11 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

12 When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” 13 So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.

Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

14 But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. 15 As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

16 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 17 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 18 ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’[a] Don’t you remember anything at all? 19 When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”

“Twelve,” they said.

20 “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they said.

21 “Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man

22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”

25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.[b]

30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Predicts His Death

31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man[c] must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.[d]

33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[e] 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Footnotes:

  1. 8:18 Jer 5:21.
  2. 8:29 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”
  3. 8:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  4. 8:32 Or began to correct him.
  5. 8:36 Or your self? also in 8:37.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 42

Book two (Psalms 42–72)

Psalm 42

For the choir director: A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.

As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”

My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.

“O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?”
10 Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”

11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!

Footnotes:

  1. 42:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 10:17

17 People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life,
but those who ignore correction will go astray.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


2/25/2023 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 10:15-16

Today is the 25th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is fantastic to be here with you today, from the rolling hills of Tennessee. All gathered around the Global Campfire today, regardless of where we are on planet Earth. It is a joy; it is a privilege that we have this place that we can gather together like this. And so, wonderful, wonderful to be here with you today, as we take the next step forward. The next step leads us back into the book of Leviticus, and today we will read chapter 16 verse 29 through 18 verse 30.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another week. We’ve been able to spend in Your word, we thank You for these transition days coming back from the land of the Bible that we are reading about in the Bible. Thank You for all of Your graciousness and kindness, Your patience, Your unstoppable love for us. And we ask that You lead us forward, on the narrow path that leads to life, lead us into all truth, lead us deeper into intimacy with You. We pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, that is where you can find out what is going on around here. We can do the same with the Daily Audio Bible app, which is free from the App Store that’s connected to your device, just search for Daily Audio Bible and you should be able to find it from there. So, check out the different sections. Check out the Community Section, this is where to get connected on the social media this is where the Prayer Wall is. Check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop, there are resources there in a number of categories for the journey that we are on. And reminding you once again, we have the snapback hats and beanies back in stock. Although, I’m told we’re about sold back out of the beanies again, so check it out in the lifestyle section in the Daily Audio Bible Shop.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if the mission to bring the spoken word of God read fresh every day and offered freely to anyone who will listen, any time of day or night, any place on this beautiful earth that we’ve been given to live on, and to build community around the rhythm of showing up every day here around the Global Campfire. If that is life-giving to you, then thank you, humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. 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 the little red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

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

Prayer and Encouragements:

My DAB community, all of you who are faithful to pray, who called in, who do not call in that you still pray to all of our faithful men and women who are incarcerated that faithfully pray for our prayer request. I am asking you to lock shields with me and pray for my daughter Tricia. I cannot tell the situation because she has asked me not to, but she doesn’t want to live anymore. So, I’m asking for all of you to pound the floors of heaven, lift up your voices for my daughter, thank you so much.

Hi DAB, this message is for Neil in the North Georgia mountains. I also live in Georgia myself. And I heard your story and I wanted to pray for you and your wife and your family. I heard everything you said and it’s rather heartbreaking. But God is able, He’s able to restore the years that the locust that conquered in Eden, that’s what is promised in Joel. So, I just prayed for Neil and his wife, Lord, that You would convict her even now, Lord, that You would help her, oh God, heal from past wounds and hurts, oh God. Father, that she will find counseling, Godly counseling that will help her oh God, to be able to move forward from this hurt, Lord. Lord, I pray oh God, in the name of Jesus, that You would give Neil wisdom and how to pray and how to reach out to his wife, oh God. Lord, we believe that You’re a miracle working God, You’re able to restore. Father, we trust You oh God, to do the impossible. We pray for his family, for his children. Lord, I pray even now oh God, that every single person in that family will have an encounter, a true encounter with You and they will never be the same. Father, thank You for restoration. You’re a God of redemption and I just thank You for what You will do, Lord. I stand in faith with Neil, this morning, and I ask You God that You would intervene in that situation, that You would restore that marriage, that You will deliver this sister oh God, from oppression Lord. The Bible says in John 10:10 that the…that the thief has come to steal, kill and destroy. But You have come to give us life and give us life more abundantly. I pray for that abundant life for this family. In the name of Jesus. And I pray that the joy of the Lord will be Neil’s strength oh God, that You would fill him oh God, today, with the Holy Spirit. Father, that he can find joy and peace in You. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hey, Daily Audio Bible, this is Blood on the Beach. And this is my third time trying to do this so, hopefully third times a charm, right. Another Biblical number to choose. So, I’m just banking on number three here. I think the enemy doesn’t want this prayer request out there. But I’m just sitting here really grateful for these past, almost two solid years, reading through the Bible two times. I started mid-year, two years ago. And just blessed and to see how far my life has come and my walk has come to Jesus because of this community. So, thank you, Brian, and the community and your family, for everything. But I’m just desiring that for my husband, Colin. I know that he is a little more intermittent, maybe not so much, maybe Bible focused. A little more podcast or sermon or short devotional base, which are all great, but I just know, and I know all you community members, family out there know just how deep this goes. And how wonderful it is, and I want this for my husband. And I want to see what will happen as he digs in. If he is so willing. So, please be praying that he will download this app. That he will follow through when I suggest it. And that he just gets into a rhythm, that he stays with it, when it gets difficult. Because we all know it’s pretty hard there in the beginning. But oh, so sweet now, right. And I’m only about two years in, I know it’s just gonna keep getting sweeter. But I don’t want us to waste any more time. I want us to be listening and reading the Bible together, separately right now. And hopefully, one day, doing it together. So, please pray for my husband Colin and getting in the Bible.

Hello, my DAB family. This is Jamie in New Jersey, Standing on the Word of God. I humbly ask you to please pray with me. Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for another day. Thank You for the time You have given us on earth. Father, we pray You continue to pray You shape us and mold us into the men and women of God You want us to be. Help us to stay on Your paths. Help us to shine as Your lights in this world. Father, You know our struggles, and everything that comes against us, that tries to challenge our faith. We ask that You would remind us that if You are for us, nothing can stand against us. Remind us that nothing is impossible with You. Father, You know our hearts and all those things we are praying for. You know just where we need the miraculous to happen in our lives and those that we love. Give us the ability to endure and wait on Your perfect timing. Help us to see where You are already working, help us to recognize the miracles You have already made happen in our lives. Help us to remain faithful to You in our circumstances. Father, our lives are in Your hands. We want nothing but Your will for every aspect of our lives. And we trust in Your goodness, mercy and love. Give us manifestations of all that You have for us today. 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.

This is Julie and Chris from Texas. And we are calling in response to the call that came in maybe a few weeks back where a lady was asking for couples to call in and pray together. And our wedding day falls on the 19th of the month. So, we, Chris and I, have committed to call in the 19th of every month and pray together so, that is what we’re doing. Thank you for that challenge sister. Lord, we thank You for this community, we thank You for the blessing it is to all of us around the globe, Lord. And Lord, that You surround us with Your presence Lord, and so this community comes around each other, Lord, and we thank You for that example that You are and the blessing it is to us. We pray Your compassion be in our hearts for one another and that faithfulness and that goodness that You showed to us Lord, that it would be multiplied and work through us toward one another and that we would see, just an outpouring of Your Spirit, Lord. We thank You for Your faithfulness. Amen. We love you guys. Be blessed.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday February 25, 2023 (NIV)

Leviticus 16:29-18:30

29 “On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn,[a] you must deny yourselves.[b] Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. 30 On that day offerings of purification will be made for you,[c] and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. 31 It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you. 32 In future generations, the purification[d] ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments 33 and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. 34 This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.”

Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him.

Prohibitions against Eating Blood

17 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel. This is what the Lord has commanded.

“If any native Israelite sacrifices a bull[e] or a lamb or a goat anywhere inside or outside the camp instead of bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacle[f] to present it as an offering to the Lord, that person will be as guilty as a murderer.[g] Such a person has shed blood and will be cut off from the community. The purpose of this rule is to stop the Israelites from sacrificing animals in the open fields. It will ensure that they bring their sacrifices to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle, so he can present them to the Lord as peace offerings. Then the priest will be able to splatter the blood against the Lord’s altar at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and he will burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The people must no longer be unfaithful to the Lord by offering sacrifices to the goat idols.[h] This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation.

“Give them this command as well. If any native Israelite or foreigner living among you offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice but does not bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to offer it to the Lord, that person will be cut off from the community.

10 “And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you eats or drinks blood in any form, I will turn against that person and cut him off from the community of your people, 11 for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord.[i] It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. 12 That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood—neither you nor the foreigners living among you.’

13 “And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you goes hunting and kills an animal or bird that is approved for eating, he must drain its blood and cover it with earth. 14 The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off from the community.

15 “And if any native-born Israelites or foreigners eat the meat of an animal that died naturally or was torn up by wild animals, they must wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water. They will remain ceremonially unclean until evening, but then they will be clean. 16 But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be punished for their sin.”

Forbidden Sexual Practices

18 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God. If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.

“You must never have sexual relations with a close relative, for I am the Lord.

“Do not violate your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

“Do not have sexual relations with any of your father’s wives, for this would violate your father.

“Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s.

10 “Do not have sexual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself.

11 “Do not have sexual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister.

12 “Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister, for she is your father’s close relative.

13 “Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.

14 “Do not violate your uncle, your father’s brother, by having sexual relations with his wife, for she is your aunt.

15 “Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, so you must not have sexual relations with her.

16 “Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, for this would violate your brother.

17 “Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. And do not take[j] her granddaughter, whether her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives, and this would be a wicked act.

18 “While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have sexual relations with her, for they would be rivals.

19 “Do not have sexual relations with a woman during her period of menstrual impurity.

20 “Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife.

21 “Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not bring shame on the name of your God. I am the Lord.

22 “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.

23 “A man must not defile himself by having sex with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it. This is a perverse act.

24 “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways. 25 Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out. 26 You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.

27 “All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. 28 So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now. 29 Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel. 30 So obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the Lord your God.”

Footnotes:

  1. 16:29a Hebrew On the tenth day of the seventh month. This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in September or October.
  2. 16:29b Or must fast; also in 16:31.
  3. 16:30 Or atonement will be made for you, to purify you.
  4. 16:32 Or atonement.
  5. 17:3 Or cow.
  6. 17:4a Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 17:5, 6, 9.
  7. 17:4b Hebrew will be guilty of blood.
  8. 17:7 Or goat demons.
  9. 17:11 Or to make atonement for you.
  10. 18:17 Or do not marry.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Mark 7:24-8:10

The Faith of a Gentile Woman

24 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre.[a] He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25 Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil[b] spirit, 26 and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews.[c] It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

29 “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

31 Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.[d] 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 37 They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”

Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

“Seven loaves,” they replied.

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.

They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were about 4,000 men in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten. 10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.

Footnotes:

  1. 7:24 Some manuscripts add and Sidon.
  2. 7:25 Greek unclean.
  3. 7:27 Greek Let the children eat first.
  4. 7:31 Greek Decapolis.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 41

Psalm 41

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
The Lord protects them
and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land
and rescues them from their enemies.
The Lord nurses them when they are sick
and restores them to health.

“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
“How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.
They visit me as if they were my friends,
but all the while they gather gossip,
and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me,
imagining the worst.
“He has some fatal disease,” they say.
“He will never get out of that bed!”
Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

10 Lord, have mercy on me.
Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
11 I know you are pleased with me,
for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
you have brought me into your presence forever.

13 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 10:15-16

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,
but evil people squander their money on sin.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


02/24/2023 DAB Transcript

Leviticus 15:1-16:28, Mark 7:1-23, Psalms 40:11-17, Proverbs 10:13-14

Today is the 24th day of February welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is great to be here with you today as we gather around the Global Campfire and move forward together, take the next step forward. And as is the custom every single day, we pick up where we left off so that we don’t miss anything, so that we read every verse and every book of the Bible. And, so, picking up where we left off leads us back into the book of Leviticus. Today, Leviticus chapter 15 verse 1 through 16 verse 28.

Commentary:

Okay. Let’s take a look at what Jesus is saying in the gospel of Mark. We encountered something similar to this in the Gospel of Matthew and we were able to talk a little bit about it, but let's…let’s dive back in because what Jesus is talking about is literally central to His teaching. I think I would dare say central to understanding what the gospel even is. And, so, Jesus is going around teaching what we read today all over the place because it is like foundational, a foundational understanding that we might believe. And what Jesus is saying is look, you can order your life in such a way that you look good or that you look like you’re a certain kind of person. You can get up every day and kind of put on the mask and go about your day pretending but there is a truth about who you are and it’s behind the exterior. It’s behind the presentation. It’s behind the personality. It is in your heart and your life flows from this place from within. You’re living in a world that tells you to just make the outside and look right, say the right things, look the right way, show up at the right places. But that’s not what’s going on here. The transformation happens from within. And when the transformation happens from within the and you don’t have to wear a mask because you realize that your sins are forgiven, and nothing is being held against you. You don’t have to be false. It’s not God, that’s inviting you to be false or hypocritical. It’s other people and the control that they get over you and the traditions and rituals that they make you participate in to make you think that this is ordered from the exterior. When the truth of who you are is from within. Like that is central to understanding not only the gospel but to understanding our humanity. The humanity that Jesus is teaching and describing springs from within and spills out. It’s not the other way around where we wear the mask and perfect the mask and look a certain way, hoping that someday that will seep in and become true of us. What’s true of us comes from within and spills out. And, so, ignoring our interior lives and not understanding the terrain of our hearts at all means we’re really disassociated with becoming fully human, the kind of person that Jesus is describing that is true inside and outside. And, so, I’m just gonna kinda quote this passage back from Jesus with all of that in mind, so that we can all kind of take this on board and begin to consider it because it’s something that needs constant vigilance and consideration. So, Jesus said, “all of you listen. All of you listen and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you. You are defiled by what comes from your heart. Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. It’s what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within. They are what defile you.” And, so, once again we have this opportunity to examine what’s really going on inside of us. We have all…like wea are like a universe inside of ourselves and the amount of who we really are that is being revealed into the world is quite curated. But we have to live with ourselves, and we have to live inside of our own heads and we have to live inside of our own hearts each and every day. And, so, we face all kinds of things, some really really beautiful, some really really wonderful. Some parts of our lives have been transformed and we are not who we once were but that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to do. And that doesn’t mean that we don’t live in a world that is literally teaching us and counseling us on how to pretend, how to be fake, how to be a hypocrite when the truth of who we are will spill out, regardless. And, so, Jesus is counseling us to pay attention to what is within.

Prayer:

Father, we invite Your Holy Spirit into this. It’s not that we don’t think about these things. It’s not that we don’t sit on the couch and beat ourselves up over something that we said to somebody that started an argument and we caused problems again. It’s not like we don’t know that these things come from within. It’s that we’re very much not paying attention to where they start. And, so, we reflect back with regret on things that we’ve said or done that we probably shouldn’t have said or done, not realizing that this is coming from within us, from the broken places that are in us, from the places that we’ve not received healing and the poison is still there. And so often, it’s because we just aren’t even aware, not even paying attention. Come Holy Spirit, we open our hearts to You. All of it. All of the story of who we are and how we got here, all of the things we were wounded by, all the things we would rather forget, all the things that we need to remember, all the things that we rejoice in. It’s all a part of the story and we open it all to You asking that You come. Come great comforter, bring comfort to our souls. We reach and take Your hand as we walk through the terrain of our hearts, asking You to lead us to these places that…that need healing, that we might become whole and true. Come Holy Spirit into all of this we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

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If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you humbly. We wouldn’t be here at all if we weren’t in this together. And, so, thank you deeply. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app. That’s the little red button up 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.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi my DAB family this is Sabina from the Faroe Islands and just wanted to call in and pray for…this man may…several people have been praying for you, I think your name was Webster. And yeah, you were talking about not having faith and asking God for faith and so on. And yeah, I've…I know what you feel, probably not exactly what you feel but I’ve had a lot of those same thoughts and…and feelings and mostly thoughts about, yeah, do I have faith…enough faith and also do I have the right kind of faith and a lot of thoughts around that and struggling with it for many years. And it’s more peaceful now. It’s like I have the same kind of mindset but it’s more peaceful and I think it’s because God’s really spoke to me about letting go and just rest. And that’s not easy to do right away. It takes practice. But I…I feel like I’m supposed to say to you, and you can take this or not, but that God…God is asking you to rest. Please just rest in Me and stop trying so hard. And that he loves you just like you are like the logical person you are. That’s how we created you. So, when you want more faith and like just try to think OK I’m letting go I’m just resting…

Hey DAB this is Andrew from Washington to the lady that called in February 10th talking about releasing those people who hurt her and forgiving them after she heard Brian’s commentary on Jesus. Thank you. Thank you very much for sharing that. That was beautiful. That was encouraging and it was a great reminder. And I did…I did the same thing that very moment that I heard you say it. So, thank you very much for sharing that with us. God bless.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! This is Bridget be filled Bridget from New York City and I just listened to February 16th’srecording and heard Kevin’s request which I’m gonna pray for but also for the woman after him and how she just was filled by the Spirit to forgive. Lord, we thank You God. Father just listening to that I just…I bless her this morning Lord. And Father in the same manner that she was just broken before You after hearing what happened to Your son and asked You for forgiveness, I pray that Kevin and his wife and his…his marriage God You would to make forgiveness be the center of it all Lord, that Father they would see each other from a place of forgiveness Lord, a place of love, a place of repentance, a place of servanthood, a place that You have created for them God. Lord, Your word says that we’re man…what You have put together that no man separatem, which includes us. We cannot separate what You have put together. So, I pray that forgiveness would abound greatly in this family this morning Lord, that Kevin’s family and his marriage would be saved and that it would be a testimony unto You even for his children and that his children would be able to share about how there in this most difficult time his mother, their mother and Father went through You came to the rescue God. We ask You Lord, touch this marriage and…and Father, we ask You to bring back that girl that’s sex trafficked in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Hello, my Daily Audio Bible family this is David Brown in Savannah GA and it’s been a long time since I’ve called in but today’s February 16th. I’ve just got done listening to the…to the prayer request line and all and I heard Diane Olive Braun’s call from February 10th. And…and Diane I’m right there with your sister. When I think of the sacrifice that was made for us for those…those of us that hated Him because I know that if I had been in Jerusalem when He was being tried, I would have been the one in the crowd screaming crucify Him. I know that and yet He loved me enough to suffer anyway and to be a sacrifice for my sin for all our sins. And…and Diane you’re just…I was…I was weeping with you. The tears were flowing as I listened to you and I just…I thank God so much for the salvation He gave us and how He suffered through it. And sometimes I don’t want to do the hard stuff. Sometimes if somethings a little difficult I don’t wanna do it but then I have to think about…about Jesus carrying His cross and I feel convicted. But thank you Diane for…for just reminding me of that and just for the tears that you shared with us. And I share mine with you. I love all my family and the Daily Audio Bible, and I hope to all…to see you all someday soon. I love you. David Brown in Savannah GA signing off. Bye.

Hello double DAB DABbers this is Trip Salina I wanted to pray for the lady that was from Haiti with the orphanage. I’m sorry I can’t remember your name, but your story was just pinpointing to my heart like how difficult and how the stuff that you go through but out of love to help those kids was so just amazing, that you’re the hands and the feet of Jesus truly. And, so, I pray Lord God may your will be done over this situation and for the people that were taken captive as hostages Lord God. I pray that you keep them safe Lord, keep them safe and them comfort in eating and not tormented Lord Jesus. And I pray that they come out with the ransom for them and that…if that’s the case and those finances be provided Lord God, I pray that you protect all of those children just to protect a shroud, surround them with your guardian angels Lord. Keep all of those kids safe and…and all of the other volunteers as well, all of the other people involved Lord God just keep them all safe. And I thank you. I thank you for your servants that are your hands and feet that go into crazy scary situations boldly with courage. God bless you. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday February 24, 2023 (NIV)

Leviticus 15:1-16:28

Bodily Discharges

15 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.

“Any man who has a bodily discharge is ceremonially unclean. This defilement is caused by his discharge, whether the discharge continues or stops. In either case the man is unclean. Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies and anything on which he sits will be ceremonially unclean. So if you touch the man’s bed, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. If you sit where the man with the discharge has sat, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. If you touch the man with the discharge, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. If the man spits on you, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. Any saddle blanket on which the man rides will be ceremonially unclean. 10 If you touch anything that was under the man, you will be unclean until evening. You must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. 11 If the man touches you without first rinsing his hands, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. 12 Any clay pot the man touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil he touches must be rinsed with water.

13 “When the man with the discharge is healed, he must count off seven days for the period of purification. Then he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in fresh water, and he will be ceremonially clean. 14 On the eighth day he must get two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle[a] and give his offerings to the priest. 15 The priest will offer one bird for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify[b] the man before the Lord for his discharge.

16 “Whenever a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his entire body in water, and he will remain ceremonially unclean until the next evening.[c] 17 Any clothing or leather with semen on it must be washed in water, and it will remain unclean until evening. 18 After a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, they must each bathe in water, and they will remain unclean until the next evening.

19 “Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening. 20 Anything on which the woman lies or sits during the time of her period will be unclean. 21 If any of you touch her bed, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. 22 If you touch any object she has sat on, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. 23 This includes her bed or any other object she has sat on; you will be unclean until evening if you touch it. 24 If a man has sexual intercourse with her and her blood touches him, her menstrual impurity will be transmitted to him. He will remain unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will be unclean.

25 “If a woman has a flow of blood for many days that is unrelated to her menstrual period, or if the blood continues beyond the normal period, she is ceremonially unclean. As during her menstrual period, the woman will be unclean as long as the discharge continues. 26 Any bed she lies on and any object she sits on during that time will be unclean, just as during her normal menstrual period. 27 If any of you touch these things, you will be ceremonially unclean. You must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening.

28 “When the woman’s bleeding stops, she must count off seven days. Then she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons and present them to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 30 The priest will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify her before the Lord for the ceremonial impurity caused by her bleeding.

31 “This is how you will guard the people of Israel from ceremonial uncleanness. Otherwise they would die, for their impurity would defile my Tabernacle that stands among them. 32 These are the instructions for dealing with anyone who has a bodily discharge—a man who is unclean because of an emission of semen 33 or a woman during her menstrual period. It applies to any man or woman who has a bodily discharge, and to a man who has sexual intercourse with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.”

The Day of Atonement

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died after they entered the Lord’s presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him. The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.

“When Aaron enters the sanctuary area, he must follow these instructions fully. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He must put on his linen tunic and the linen undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe himself in water before he puts them on. Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

“Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord.[d] Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[e] He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. 10 The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord.[f]

11 “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. After he has slaughtered the bull as a sin offering, 12 he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the Lord. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain. 13 There in the Lord’s presence he will put the incense on the burning coals so that a cloud of incense will rise over the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant.[g] If he follows these instructions, he will not die. 14 Then he must take some of the blood of the bull, dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it on the east side of the atonement cover. He must sprinkle blood seven times with his finger in front of the atonement cover.

15 “Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. 16 Through this process, he will purify[h] the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites. 17 No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the Lord.

18 “Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the Lord. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar. 19 Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy.

20 “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. 21 He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. 22 As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land.

23 “When Aaron goes back into the Tabernacle, he must take off the linen garments he was wearing when he entered the Most Holy Place, and he must leave the garments there. 24 Then he must bathe himself with water in a sacred place, put on his regular garments, and go out to sacrifice a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this process, he will purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord. 25 He must then burn all the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

26 “The man chosen to drive the scapegoat into the wilderness of Azazel must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water. Then he may return to the camp.

27 “The bull and the goat presented as sin offerings, whose blood Aaron takes into the Most Holy Place for the purification ceremony, will be carried outside the camp. The animals’ hides, internal organs, and dung are all to be burned. 28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before returning to the camp.

Footnotes:

  1. 15:14 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 15:29.
  2. 15:15 Or will make atonement for; also in 15:30.
  3. 15:16 Hebrew until evening; also in 15:18.
  4. 16:6 Or to make atonement for himself and his family; similarly in 16:11, 17b, 24, 34.
  5. 16:7 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 16:16, 17, 20, 23, 33.
  6. 16:10 Or wilderness, it will make atonement for the people.
  7. 16:13 Hebrew that is above the Testimony. The Hebrew word for “testimony” refers to the terms of the Lord’s covenant with Israel as written on stone tablets, which were kept in the Ark, and also to the covenant itself.
  8. 16:16 Or make atonement for; similarly in 16:17a, 18, 20, 27, 33.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Mark 7:1-23

Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity

One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands[b] in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.[c])

So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’[d]

For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’[e] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’[f] 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’[g] 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.[h]

17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Footnotes:

  1. 7:3 Greek have washed with the fist.
  2. 7:4a Some manuscripts read sprinkle themselves.
  3. 7:4b Some manuscripts add and dining couches.
  4. 7:7 Isa 29:13 (Greek version).
  5. 7:10a Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
  6. 7:10b Exod 21:17 (Greek version); Lev 20:9 (Greek version).
  7. 7:11 Greek ‘What I would have given to you is Corban’ (that is, a gift).
  8. 7:15 Some manuscripts add verse 16, Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Compare 4:9, 23.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 40:11-17

11 Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles surround me—
too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
I have lost all courage.

13 Please, Lord, rescue me!
Come quickly, Lord, and help me.
14 May those who try to destroy me
be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
be turned back in disgrace.
15 Let them be horrified by their shame,
for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

16 But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
17 As for me, since I am poor and needy,
let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
O my God, do not delay.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 10:13-14

13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.

14 Wise people treasure knowledge,
but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.