Daily Readings

¹ Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.² And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.³ And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.⁴ And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.⁵ And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.⁶ And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?⁷ For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.⁸ And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.⁹ And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.¹⁰ And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.¹¹ Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.¹² And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.¹³ So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.¹⁴ And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.¹⁵ But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.¹⁶ And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.¹⁸ And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.¹⁹ Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.²⁰ And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.²¹ And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.²² Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.²³ And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.²⁴ For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.²⁵ And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.²⁶ And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.²⁷ Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

¹ Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.² Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.³ Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.⁴ They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.⁵ In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.⁶ Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.⁷ The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.⁸ Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.⁹ Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.¹⁰ Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:¹¹ There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;¹² Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.¹³ Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?¹⁴ I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.¹⁵ And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:¹⁶ And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.¹⁸ O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:¹⁹ And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.²⁰ But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:²¹ And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.²² And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;²³ But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:²⁴ Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.²⁵ And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.²⁶ This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.²⁷ TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.²⁸ PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.²⁹ Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.³⁰ In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.³¹ And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

¹ Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.² And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;³ Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.⁴ And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.⁵ And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.⁶ Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.⁷ And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.⁸ And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God:¹⁰ And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.¹¹ And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.¹² And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?¹³ The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.¹⁴ But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;¹⁵ And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.¹⁶ And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.¹⁷ And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.¹⁸ But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.¹⁹ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.²⁰ And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:²¹ Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.²² For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.²³ And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.²⁴ Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.²⁵ Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.²⁶ Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

¹ And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,² Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.³ And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.⁴ Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.⁵ And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,⁶ And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,⁹ If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.¹⁴ And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,¹⁶ Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.¹⁷ But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.¹⁸ And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.²² For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.²³ And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.²⁴ And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:²⁵ Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?²⁶ The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.²⁷ For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,²⁸ For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.²⁹ And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,³⁰ By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.³¹ And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.³³ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.³⁴ Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,³⁵ And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.³⁶ And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,³⁷ Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.