Daily Readings

¹ And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,² That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.³ And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.⁴ And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.⁵ Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;⁶ And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.⁷ As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,⁸ But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.⁹ But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.¹⁰ And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.¹¹ And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.¹² Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch,¹³ Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.¹⁴ And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.¹⁵ And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.¹⁶ Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.¹⁷ Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.¹⁸ And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

¹ Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:² And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.³ And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.⁴ And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.⁵ So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.⁶ And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.⁷ And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.⁸ In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.⁹ Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.¹⁰ Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.¹¹ And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.¹² This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.¹³ And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.¹⁴ And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.¹⁵ So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.¹⁶ And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.¹⁷ And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.¹⁸ And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.¹⁹ And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.²⁰ And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.²¹ Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.²² And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.²³ When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.²⁴ And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.²⁵ Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.²⁶ Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.²⁷ And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.

¹ And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.⁴ I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.⁶ When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,⁷ And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.⁸ The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?⁹ Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.¹⁰ Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?¹¹ He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.¹² Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.¹³ They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.¹⁴ And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.¹⁵ Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.¹⁶ Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.¹⁷ They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.¹⁸ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.¹⁹ And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?²⁰ His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:²¹ But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.²² These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.²³ Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.²⁴ Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.²⁵ He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.²⁶ Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?²⁷ He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?²⁸ Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.²⁹ We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.³⁰ The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.³¹ Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.³² Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.³³ If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.³⁴ They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?³⁶ He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?³⁷ And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.³⁸ And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.³⁹ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.⁴⁰ And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?⁴¹ Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

¹ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.² But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.³ To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.⁶ This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.¹² But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.¹³ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.¹⁷ Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.¹⁸ No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.¹⁹ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.²⁰ And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?²¹ Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?²² And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.²³ And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.²⁴ Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.²⁵ Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.²⁶ But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.³⁰ I and my Father are one.³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.³² Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?³³ The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.³⁴ Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?³⁵ If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;³⁶ Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?³⁷ If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.³⁸ But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.³⁹ Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,⁴⁰ And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.⁴¹ And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.⁴² And many believed on him there.