July 3

Luke 7:36-50

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

[36] One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. [37] And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, [38] and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” [40] And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

[41] “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” [43] Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” [44] Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” [50] And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Colossians 2:1-7

[1] For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, [2] that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, [3] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [4] I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. [5] For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

[6] Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, [7] rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Psalm 126

Restore Our Fortunes, O LORD

A Song of Ascents.

    [1] When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,

        we were like those who dream. 

    [2] Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

        and our tongue with shouts of joy;

    then they said among the nations,

        “The LORD has done great things for them.” 

    [3] The LORD has done great things for us;

        we are glad.

    [4] Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

        like streams in the Negeb! 

    [5] Those who sow in tears

        shall reap with shouts of joy! 

    [6] He who goes out weeping,

        bearing the seed for sowing,

    shall come home with shouts of joy,

        bringing his sheaves with him.

1 Chronicles 5

Descendants of Reuben

[1] The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; [2] though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), [3] the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. [4] The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, [5] Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, [6] Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chief of the Reubenites. [7] And his kinsmen by their clans, when the genealogy of their generations was recorded: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, [8] and Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. [9] He also lived to the east as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their livestock had multiplied in the land of Gilead. [10] And in the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who fell into their hand. And they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.

Descendants of Gad

[11] The sons of Gad lived over against them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah: [12] Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. [13] And their kinsmen according to their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven. [14] These were the sons of Abihail the son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. [15] Ahi the son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their fathers’ houses, [16] and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon to their limits. [17] All of these were recorded in genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

[18] The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. [19] They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. [20] And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him. [21] They carried off their livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 men alive. [22] For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

[23] The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. [24] These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses. [25] But they broke faith with the God of their fathers, and whored after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. [26] So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.

1 Chronicles 6

Descendants of Levi

[1]  The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. [2] The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. [3] The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. [4] Eleazar fathered Phinehas, Phinehas fathered Abishua, [5] Abishua fathered Bukki, Bukki fathered Uzzi, [6] Uzzi fathered Zerahiah, Zerahiah fathered Meraioth, [7] Meraioth fathered Amariah, Amariah fathered Ahitub, [8] Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Ahimaaz, [9] Ahimaaz fathered Azariah, Azariah fathered Johanan, [10] and Johanan fathered Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem). [11] Azariah fathered Amariah, Amariah fathered Ahitub, [12] Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Shallum, [13] Shallum fathered Hilkiah, Hilkiah fathered Azariah, [14] Azariah fathered Seraiah, Seraiah fathered Jehozadak; [15] and Jehozadak went into exile when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

[16]  The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. [17] And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. [18] The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. [19] The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their fathers. [20] Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, [21] Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. [22] The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, [23] Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, [24] Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. [25] The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth, [26] Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, [27] Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. [28] The sons of Samuel: Joel his firstborn, the second Abijah. [29] The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, [30] Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

[31] These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. [32] They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order. [33] These are the men who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer the son of Joel, son of Samuel, [34] son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, [35] son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, [36] son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, [37] son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, [38] son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel; [39] and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, namely, Asaph the son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, [40] son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, son of Malchijah, [41] son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, [42] son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, [43] son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi. [44] On the left hand were their brothers, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, [45] son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, [46] son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, [47] son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi. [48] And their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

[49] But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. [50] These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, [51] Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, [52] Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, [53] Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

[54] These are their dwelling places according to their settlements within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the clans of Kohathites, for theirs was the first lot, [55] to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands, [56] but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [57] To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, [58] Hilen with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, [59] Ashan with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands; [60] and from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon, Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands. All their cities throughout their clans were thirteen.

[61] To the rest of the Kohathites were given by lot out of the clan of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. [62] To the Gershomites according to their clans were allotted thirteen cities out of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Manasseh in Bashan. [63] To the Merarites according to their clans were allotted twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. [64] So the people of Israel gave the Levites the cities with their pasturelands. [65] They gave by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin these cities that are mentioned by name.

[66] And some of the clans of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim. [67] They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, [68] Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands, [69] Aijalon with its pasturelands, Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands, [70] and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasturelands, and Bileam with its pasturelands, for the rest of the clans of the Kohathites.

[71] To the Gershomites were given out of the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands and Ashtaroth with its pasturelands; [72] and out of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, [73] Ramoth with its pasturelands, and Anem with its pasturelands; [74] out of the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, 

[75] Hukok with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands; [76] and out of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands. [77] To the rest of the Merarites were allotted out of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasturelands, Tabor with its pasturelands, [78] and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasturelands, Jahzah with its pasturelands, [79] Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands; [80] and out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands, [81] Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands.