Daily Readings

¹ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:² But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.³ For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.⁴ Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.⁵ And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.⁶ And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.⁷ And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:⁸ Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.⁹ So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.¹⁰ And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.¹¹ Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.¹² And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,¹³ And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.¹⁴ Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.¹⁵ And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.¹⁶ And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.¹⁷ Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.¹⁹ His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.²⁰ So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.²¹ Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.²² But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;²³ And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.²⁴ And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.²⁵ But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

¹ The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.² The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.³ So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.⁴ And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.⁵ And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.⁶ And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.⁷ But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.⁸ Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.⁹ Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.¹⁰ Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.¹¹ Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

¹ And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.³ Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.⁴ But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.⁵ And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,⁶ They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:⁷ And there they preached the gospel.⁸ And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:⁹ The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,¹⁰ Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.¹¹ And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.¹² And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.¹⁴ Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,¹⁵ And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:¹⁶ Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.¹⁷ Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.¹⁸ And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.¹⁹ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.²⁰ Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.²¹ And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,²² Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.²³ And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.²⁴ And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.²⁵ And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:²⁶ And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.²⁷ And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.²⁸ And there they abode long time with the disciples.

¹ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.² When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.³ And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.⁴ And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.⁶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.⁷ And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.⁸ And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.¹² Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.¹³ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:¹⁴ Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.¹⁵ And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:¹⁷ That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.¹⁸ Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.¹⁹ Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:²⁰ But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.²¹ For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.²² Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:²³ And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.²⁴ Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:²⁵ It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,²⁶ Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;²⁹ That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.³⁰ So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:³¹ Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.³² And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.³³ And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.³⁴ Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.³⁵ Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.³⁶ And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.³⁷ And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.³⁸ But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.³⁹ And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;⁴⁰ And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.