April 7

Mark 2:18-28

A Question About Fasting

[18] Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” [19] And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. [20] The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. [21] No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. [22] And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

[23] One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. [24] And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: [26] how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” [27] And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [28] So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Lawsuits Against Believers

[1] When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? [2] Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? [3] Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! [4] So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? [5] I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, [6] but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? [7] To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? [8] But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Psalm 78:1-39

Tell the Coming Generation

A Maskil of Asaph.

    [1] Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

        incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 

    [2] I will open my mouth in a parable;

        I will utter dark sayings from of old, 

    [3] things that we have heard and known,

        that our fathers have told us. 

    [4] We will not hide them from their children,

        but tell to the coming generation

    the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

        and the wonders that he has done.

    [5] He established a testimony in Jacob

        and appointed a law in Israel,

    which he commanded our fathers

        to teach to their children, 

    [6] that the next generation might know them,

        the children yet unborn,

    and arise and tell them to their children, 

    [7]     so that they should set their hope in God

    and not forget the works of God,

        but keep his commandments; 

    [8] and that they should not be like their fathers,

        a stubborn and rebellious generation,

    a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

        whose spirit was not faithful to God.

    [9] The Ephraimites, armed with the bow,

        turned back on the day of battle. 

    [10] They did not keep God’s covenant,

        but refused to walk according to his law. 

    [11] They forgot his works

        and the wonders that he had shown them. 

    [12] In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders

        in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 

    [13] He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

        and made the waters stand like a heap. 

    [14] In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

        and all the night with a fiery light. 

    [15] He split rocks in the wilderness

        and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. 

    [16] He made streams come out of the rock

        and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

    [17] Yet they sinned still more against him,

        rebelling against the Most High in the desert. 

    [18] They tested God in their heart

        by demanding the food they craved. 

    [19] They spoke against God, saying,

        “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 

    [20] He struck the rock so that water gushed out

        and streams overflowed.

    Can he also give bread

        or provide meat for his people?”

    [21] Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath;

        a fire was kindled against Jacob;

        his anger rose against Israel, 

    [22] because they did not believe in God

        and did not trust his saving power. 

    [23] Yet he commanded the skies above

        and opened the doors of heaven, 

    [24] and he rained down on them manna to eat

        and gave them the grain of heaven. 

    [25] Man ate of the bread of the angels;

        he sent them food in abundance. 

    [26] He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

        and by his power he led out the south wind; 

    [27] he rained meat on them like dust,

        winged birds like the sand of the seas; 

    [28] he let them fall in the midst of their camp,

        all around their dwellings. 

    [29] And they ate and were well filled,

        for he gave them what they craved. 

    [30] But before they had satisfied their craving,

        while the food was still in their mouths, 

    [31] the anger of God rose against them,

        and he killed the strongest of them

        and laid low the young men of Israel.

    [32] In spite of all this, they still sinned;

        despite his wonders, they did not believe. 

    [33] So he made their days vanish like a breath,

        and their years in terror. 

    [34] When he killed them, they sought him;

        they repented and sought God earnestly. 

    [35] They remembered that God was their rock,

        the Most High God their redeemer. 

    [36] But they flattered him with their mouths;

        they lied to him with their tongues. 

    [37] Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

        they were not faithful to his covenant. 

    [38] Yet he, being compassionate,

        atoned for their iniquity

        and did not destroy them;

    he restrained his anger often

        and did not stir up all his wrath. 

    [39] He remembered that they were but flesh,

        a wind that passes and comes not again.

Joshua 15

The Allotment for Judah

[1] The allotment for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south. [2] And their south boundary ran from the end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward. [3] It goes out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, passes along to Zin, and goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, along by Hezron, up to Addar, turns about to Karka, [4] passes along to Azmon, goes out by the Brook of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea. This shall be your south boundary. [5] And the east boundary is the Salt Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan. And the boundary on the north side runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. [6] And the boundary goes up to Beth-hoglah and passes along north of Beth-arabah. And the boundary goes up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. [7] And the boundary goes up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgal, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley. And the boundary passes along to the waters of En-shemesh and ends at En-rogel. [8] Then the boundary goes up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the southern shoulder of the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem). And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. [9] Then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the cities of Mount Ephron. Then the boundary bends around to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). [10] And the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down to Beth-shemesh and passes along by Timnah. [11] The boundary goes out to the shoulder of the hill north of Ekron, then the boundary bends around to Shikkeron and passes along to Mount Baalah and goes out to Jabneel. Then the boundary comes to an end at the sea. [12] And the west boundary was the Great Sea with its coastline. This is the boundary around the people of Judah according to their clans.

[13] According to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). [14] And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. [15] And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. [16] And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” [17] And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. [18] When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” [19] She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

[20] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. [21] The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, [22] Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, [23] Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, [24] Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, [25] Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), [26] Amam, Shema, Moladah, [27] Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, [28] Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, [29] Baalah, Iim, Ezem, [30] Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, [31] Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, [32] Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

[33] And in the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, [34] Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, [35] Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, [36] Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages.

[37] Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, [38] Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, [39] Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, [40] Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, [41] Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.

[42] Libnah, Ether, Ashan, [43] Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, [44] Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages.

[45] Ekron, with its towns and its villages; [46] from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

[47] Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coastline.

[48] And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, [49] Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), [50] Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, [51] Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages.

[52] Arab, Dumah, Eshan, [53] Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, [54] Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior: nine cities with their villages.

[55] Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, [56] Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, [57] Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages.

[58] Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, [59] Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six cities with their villages.

[60] Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.

[61] In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, [62] Nibshan, the City of Salt, and Engedi: six cities with their villages.

[63] But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

Joshua 16

The Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

[1] The allotment of the people of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel. [2] Then going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to Ataroth, the territory of the Archites. [3] Then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.

[4] The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

[5] The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, [6] and the boundary goes from there to the sea. On the north is Michmethath. Then on the east the boundary turns around toward Taanath-shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Janoah, [7] then it goes down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan. [8] From Tappuah the boundary goes westward to the brook Kanah and ends at the sea. Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Ephraim by their clans, [9] together with the towns that were set apart for the people of Ephraim within the inheritance of the Manassites, all those towns with their villages. [10] However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor.

Joshua 17

[1] Then allotment was made to the people of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. [2] And allotments were made to the rest of the people of Manasseh by their clans, Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph, by their clans.

[3] Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. [4] They approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brothers.” So according to the mouth of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. [5] Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, [6] because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh.

[7] The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary goes along southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. [8] The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the people of Ephraim. [9] Then the boundary went down to the brook Kanah. These cities, to the south of the brook, among the cities of Manasseh, belong to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasseh goes on the north side of the brook and ends at the sea, [10] the land to the south being Ephraim’s and that to the north being Manasseh’s, with the sea forming its boundary. On the north Asher is reached, and on the east Issachar. [11] Also in Issachar and in Asher Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, and Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; the third is Naphath. [12] Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. [13] Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.

[14] Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the LORD has blessed me?” [15] And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” [16] The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.” [17] Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only, [18] but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”