One Year Bible

July 09
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Daily Devotional

In life, there will be times when battles ensue. No believer has a guarantee of a pain-free, bed of roses life where troubles do not arise. In fact, the opposite is true. We will have to engage in battles. The type of battles you fight are not won with armor, guns and bullets. Every battle that we fight is spiritual in nature.

You may be attacked in your health when a doctor gives you a negative report. You may have to fight for your children when you see them being lead astray by the tricks of the devil. When your finances are not as you desire, you may need to engage in battle to recover everything that God promised you. The list could go on and on. Whenever your peace, joy, hope, prosperity and love are being attacked, you cannot sit idly by and let it happen. You have to fight.

Just like the tribes of Israel did, they took stock of who their warriors were. You have to do the same for your life. When you get into one of life’s battles, you should already know who will stand with you and fight the good fight of faith. These must be mighty warriors who know how to pray and stand strong with you. Identify these people in your life and enlist them as your prayer warriors. 

Old Testament

1 Chronicles 7-8

Descendants of Issachar

The four sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. At the time of King David, the total number of mighty warriors listed in the records of these clans was 22,600.

The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. These five became the leaders of clans. All of them had many wives and many sons, so the total number of men available for military service among their descendants was 36,000.

The total number of mighty warriors from all the clans of the tribe of Issachar was 87,000. All of them were listed in their genealogical records.

Descendants of Benjamin

Three of Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, and Jediael.

The five sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors from these clans was 22,034, as listed in their genealogical records.

The sons of Beker were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors and leaders from these clans was 20,200, as listed in their genealogical records.

10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. From these clans the total number of mighty warriors ready for war was 17,200.

12 The sons of Ir were Shuppim and Huppim. Hushim was the son of Aher.

Descendants of Naphtali

13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel,a] Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.b] They were all descendants of Jacob’s concubine Bilhah.

Descendants of Manasseh

14 The descendants of Manasseh through his Aramean concubine included Asriel. She also bore Makir, the father of Gilead. 15 Makir found wives forc] Huppim and Shuppim. Makir had a sister named Maacah. One of his descendants was Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

16 Makir’s wife, Maacah, gave birth to a son whom she named Peresh. His brother’s name was Sheresh. The sons of Peresh were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan. All these were considered Gileadites, descendants of Makir son of Manasseh.

18 Makir’s sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.

19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

Descendants of Ephraim

20 The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, 21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. 22 Their father, Ephraim, mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Afterward Ephraim slept with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriahd] because of the tragedy his family had suffered. 24 He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.

25 The descendants of Ephraim included Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, 26 Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, 27 Nun, and Joshua.

28 The descendants of Ephraim lived in the territory that included Bethel and its surrounding towns to the south, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its surrounding villages to the north as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29 Along the border of Manasseh were the towns of Beth-shan,e] Taanach, Megiddo, Dor, and their surrounding villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israelf] lived in these towns.

Descendants of Asher

30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. They had a sister named Serah.

31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel (the father of Birzaith).

32 The sons of Heber were Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham. They had a sister named Shua.

33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath.

34 The sons of Shomer were Ahi,g] Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.

35 The sons of his brother Helemh] were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.

36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran,i] and Beera.

38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.

39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.

40 Each of these descendants of Asher was the head of an ancestral clan. They were all select men—mighty warriors and outstanding leaders. The total number of men available for military service was 26,000, as listed in their genealogical records.

Descendants of Benjamin

Benjamin’s first son was Bela, the second was Ashbel, the third was Aharah, the fourth was Nohah, and the fifth was Rapha.

The sons of Bela were Addar, Gera, Abihud,j] Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

The sons of Ehud, leaders of the clans living at Geba, were exiled to Manahath. Ehud’s sons were Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. Gera, who led them into exile, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.k]

After Shaharaim divorced his wives Hushim and Baara, he had children in the land of Moab. His wife Hodesh gave birth to Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These sons all became the leaders of clans.

11 Shaharaim’s wife Hushim had already given birth to Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built the towns of Ono and Lod and their nearby villages), 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were the leaders of the clans living in Aijalon, and they drove out the inhabitants of Gath.

14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

19 Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zicri were the sons of Jeroham.

28 These were the leaders of the ancestral clans; they were listed in their genealogical records, and they all lived in Jerusalem.

The Family of Saul

29 Jeiell] (the father ofm] Gibeon) lived in the town of Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30 and his oldest son was named Abdon. Jeiel’s other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,n] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah,o] 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeam.p] All these families lived near each other in Jerusalem.

33 Ner was the father of Kish.
Kish was the father of Saul.
Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 Jonathan was the father of Merib-baal.
Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
35 Micah was the father of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea,q] and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz was the father of Jadah.r]
Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri.
Zimri was the father of Moza.
37 Moza was the father of Binea.
Binea was the father of Rephaiah.s]
Rephaiah was the father of Eleasah.
Eleasah was the father of Azel.

38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

39 Azel’s brother Eshek had three sons: the first was Ulam, the second was Jeush, and the third was Eliphelet.40 Ulam’s sons were all mighty warriors and expert archers. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.

All these were descendants of Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 7:13a As in parallel text at Gen 46:24; Hebrew reads Jahziel, a variant spelling of Jahzeel.
  2. 7:13b As in some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts (see also Gen 46:24; Num 26:49); most Hebrew manuscripts read Shallum.
  3. 7:15 Or Makir took a wife from. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 7:23 Beriah sounds like a Hebrew term meaning “tragedy” or “misfortune.”
  5. 7:29a Hebrew Beth-shean, a variant spelling of Beth-shan.
  6. 7:29b Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
  7. 7:34 Or The sons of Shomer, his brother, were.
  8. 7:35 Possibly another name for Hotham; compare 7:32.
  9. 7:37 Possibly another name for Jether; compare 7:38.
  10. 8:3 Possibly Gera the father of Ehud; compare 8:6.
  11. 8:7 Or Gera, that is Heglam, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
  12. 8:29a As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:35); Hebrew lacks Jeiel.
  13. 8:29b Or the founder of.
  14. 8:30 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:36); Hebrew lacks Ner.
  15. 8:31 As in parallel text at 9:37; Hebrew reads Zeker, a variant spelling of Zechariah.
  16. 8:32 As in parallel text at 9:38; Hebrew reads Shimeah, a variant spelling of Shimeam.
  17. 8:35 As in parallel text at 9:41; Hebrew reads Tarea, a variant spelling of Tahrea.
  18. 8:36 As in parallel text at 9:42; Hebrew reads Jehoaddah, a variant spelling of Jadah.
  19. 8:37 As in parallel text at 9:43; Hebrew reads Raphah, a variant spelling of Rephaiah.
New Testament

Acts 27:1-20

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officera] named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia;b] it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.

The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.

We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall,c] and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.

10 “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 11 But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.

The Storm at Sea

13 When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. 15 The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda,d] where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard.19 The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. 20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

Footnotes

  1. 27:1 Greek centurion; similarly in 27:6, 11, 31, 43.
  2. 27:2 Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.
  3. 27:9 Greek because the fast was now already gone by. This fast was associated with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which occurred in late September or early October.
  4. 27:16 Some manuscripts read Clauda.
Psalm

Psalm 7

A psalma] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush of the tribe of Benjamin.

I come to you for protection, O Lord my God.
    Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!
If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion,
    tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
O Lord my God, if I have done wrong
    or am guilty of injustice,
if I have betrayed a friend
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
then let my enemies capture me.
    Let them trample me into the ground
    and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude

Arise, O Lord, in anger!
    Stand up against the fury of my enemies!
    Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
Gather the nations before you.
    Rule over them from on high.
    The Lord judges the nations.
Declare me righteous, O Lord,
    for I am innocent, O Most High!
End the evil of those who are wicked,
    and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
    O righteous God.

10 God is my shield,
    saving those whose hearts are true and right.
11 God is an honest judge.
    He is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If a person does not repent,
    Godb] will sharpen his sword;
    he will bend and string his bow.
13 He will prepare his deadly weapons
    and shoot his flaming arrows.

14 The wicked conceive evil;
    they are pregnant with trouble
    and give birth to lies.
15 They dig a deep pit to trap others,
    then fall into it themselves.
16 The trouble they make for others backfires on them.
    The violence they plan falls on their own heads.

17 I will thank the Lord because he is just;
    I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Footnotes

  1. 7:Title Hebrew A shiggaion, probably indicating a musical setting for the psalm.
  2. 7:12 Hebrew he.
Proverbs

Proverbs 18:22

22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
    and he receives favor from the Lord.

Old Testament

1 Chronicles 7-8

Descendants of Issachar

The four sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. At the time of King David, the total number of mighty warriors listed in the records of these clans was 22,600.

The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. These five became the leaders of clans. All of them had many wives and many sons, so the total number of men available for military service among their descendants was 36,000.

The total number of mighty warriors from all the clans of the tribe of Issachar was 87,000. All of them were listed in their genealogical records.

Descendants of Benjamin

Three of Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, and Jediael.

The five sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors from these clans was 22,034, as listed in their genealogical records.

The sons of Beker were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors and leaders from these clans was 20,200, as listed in their genealogical records.

10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. From these clans the total number of mighty warriors ready for war was 17,200.

12 The sons of Ir were Shuppim and Huppim. Hushim was the son of Aher.

Descendants of Naphtali

13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel,a] Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.b] They were all descendants of Jacob’s concubine Bilhah.

Descendants of Manasseh

14 The descendants of Manasseh through his Aramean concubine included Asriel. She also bore Makir, the father of Gilead. 15 Makir found wives forc] Huppim and Shuppim. Makir had a sister named Maacah. One of his descendants was Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

16 Makir’s wife, Maacah, gave birth to a son whom she named Peresh. His brother’s name was Sheresh. The sons of Peresh were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan. All these were considered Gileadites, descendants of Makir son of Manasseh.

18 Makir’s sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.

19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

Descendants of Ephraim

20 The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, 21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. 22 Their father, Ephraim, mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Afterward Ephraim slept with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriahd] because of the tragedy his family had suffered. 24 He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.

25 The descendants of Ephraim included Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, 26 Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, 27 Nun, and Joshua.

28 The descendants of Ephraim lived in the territory that included Bethel and its surrounding towns to the south, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its surrounding villages to the north as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29 Along the border of Manasseh were the towns of Beth-shan,e] Taanach, Megiddo, Dor, and their surrounding villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israelf] lived in these towns.

Descendants of Asher

30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. They had a sister named Serah.

31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel (the father of Birzaith).

32 The sons of Heber were Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham. They had a sister named Shua.

33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath.

34 The sons of Shomer were Ahi,g] Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.

35 The sons of his brother Helemh] were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.

36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran,i] and Beera.

38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.

39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.

40 Each of these descendants of Asher was the head of an ancestral clan. They were all select men—mighty warriors and outstanding leaders. The total number of men available for military service was 26,000, as listed in their genealogical records.

Descendants of Benjamin

Benjamin’s first son was Bela, the second was Ashbel, the third was Aharah, the fourth was Nohah, and the fifth was Rapha.

The sons of Bela were Addar, Gera, Abihud,j] Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

The sons of Ehud, leaders of the clans living at Geba, were exiled to Manahath. Ehud’s sons were Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. Gera, who led them into exile, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.k]

After Shaharaim divorced his wives Hushim and Baara, he had children in the land of Moab. His wife Hodesh gave birth to Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These sons all became the leaders of clans.

11 Shaharaim’s wife Hushim had already given birth to Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built the towns of Ono and Lod and their nearby villages), 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were the leaders of the clans living in Aijalon, and they drove out the inhabitants of Gath.

14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

19 Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zicri were the sons of Jeroham.

28 These were the leaders of the ancestral clans; they were listed in their genealogical records, and they all lived in Jerusalem.

The Family of Saul

29 Jeiell] (the father ofm] Gibeon) lived in the town of Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30 and his oldest son was named Abdon. Jeiel’s other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,n] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah,o] 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeam.p] All these families lived near each other in Jerusalem.

33 Ner was the father of Kish.
Kish was the father of Saul.
Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 Jonathan was the father of Merib-baal.
Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
35 Micah was the father of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea,q] and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz was the father of Jadah.r]
Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri.
Zimri was the father of Moza.
37 Moza was the father of Binea.
Binea was the father of Rephaiah.s]
Rephaiah was the father of Eleasah.
Eleasah was the father of Azel.

38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

39 Azel’s brother Eshek had three sons: the first was Ulam, the second was Jeush, and the third was Eliphelet.40 Ulam’s sons were all mighty warriors and expert archers. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.

All these were descendants of Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 7:13a As in parallel text at Gen 46:24; Hebrew reads Jahziel, a variant spelling of Jahzeel.
  2. 7:13b As in some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts (see also Gen 46:24; Num 26:49); most Hebrew manuscripts read Shallum.
  3. 7:15 Or Makir took a wife from. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 7:23 Beriah sounds like a Hebrew term meaning “tragedy” or “misfortune.”
  5. 7:29a Hebrew Beth-shean, a variant spelling of Beth-shan.
  6. 7:29b Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
  7. 7:34 Or The sons of Shomer, his brother, were.
  8. 7:35 Possibly another name for Hotham; compare 7:32.
  9. 7:37 Possibly another name for Jether; compare 7:38.
  10. 8:3 Possibly Gera the father of Ehud; compare 8:6.
  11. 8:7 Or Gera, that is Heglam, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
  12. 8:29a As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:35); Hebrew lacks Jeiel.
  13. 8:29b Or the founder of.
  14. 8:30 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:36); Hebrew lacks Ner.
  15. 8:31 As in parallel text at 9:37; Hebrew reads Zeker, a variant spelling of Zechariah.
  16. 8:32 As in parallel text at 9:38; Hebrew reads Shimeah, a variant spelling of Shimeam.
  17. 8:35 As in parallel text at 9:41; Hebrew reads Tarea, a variant spelling of Tahrea.
  18. 8:36 As in parallel text at 9:42; Hebrew reads Jehoaddah, a variant spelling of Jadah.
  19. 8:37 As in parallel text at 9:43; Hebrew reads Raphah, a variant spelling of Rephaiah.
New Testament

Acts 27:1-20

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officera] named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia;b] it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.

The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.

We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall,c] and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.

10 “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 11 But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.

The Storm at Sea

13 When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. 15 The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda,d] where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard.19 The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. 20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

Footnotes

  1. 27:1 Greek centurion; similarly in 27:6, 11, 31, 43.
  2. 27:2 Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.
  3. 27:9 Greek because the fast was now already gone by. This fast was associated with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which occurred in late September or early October.
  4. 27:16 Some manuscripts read Clauda.
Psalm

Psalm 7

A psalma] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush of the tribe of Benjamin.

I come to you for protection, O Lord my God.
    Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!
If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion,
    tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
O Lord my God, if I have done wrong
    or am guilty of injustice,
if I have betrayed a friend
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
then let my enemies capture me.
    Let them trample me into the ground
    and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude

Arise, O Lord, in anger!
    Stand up against the fury of my enemies!
    Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
Gather the nations before you.
    Rule over them from on high.
    The Lord judges the nations.
Declare me righteous, O Lord,
    for I am innocent, O Most High!
End the evil of those who are wicked,
    and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
    O righteous God.

10 God is my shield,
    saving those whose hearts are true and right.
11 God is an honest judge.
    He is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If a person does not repent,
    Godb] will sharpen his sword;
    he will bend and string his bow.
13 He will prepare his deadly weapons
    and shoot his flaming arrows.

14 The wicked conceive evil;
    they are pregnant with trouble
    and give birth to lies.
15 They dig a deep pit to trap others,
    then fall into it themselves.
16 The trouble they make for others backfires on them.
    The violence they plan falls on their own heads.

17 I will thank the Lord because he is just;
    I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Footnotes

  1. 7:Title Hebrew A shiggaion, probably indicating a musical setting for the psalm.
  2. 7:12 Hebrew he.
Proverbs

Proverbs 18:22

22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
    and he receives favor from the Lord.