December 15

John 18:28-40

Jesus Before Pilate

[28] Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. [29] So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” [30] They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” [31] Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” [32] This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

[33] So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” [34] Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” [35] Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” [36] Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” [37] Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” [38] Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” 

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.  [39] But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” [40] They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Revelation 12

The Woman and the Dragon

[1] And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. [2] She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. [3] And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. [4] His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. [5] She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, [6] and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

[7] Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, [8] but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. [9] And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [10] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. [11] And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. [12] Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

[13] And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. [14] But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. [15] The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. [16] But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. [17] Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Job 35

Elihu Condemns Job

[1] And Elihu answered and said:

    [2] “Do you think this to be just?

        Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’ 

    [3] that you ask, ‘What advantage have I?

        How am I better off than if I had sinned?’ 

    [4] I will answer you

        and your friends with you. 

    [5] Look at the heavens, and see;

        and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. 

    [6] If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

        And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? 

    [7] If you are righteous, what do you give to him?

        Or what does he receive from your hand? 

    [8] Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,

        and your righteousness a son of man.

    [9] “Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;

        they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. 

    [10] But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,

        who gives songs in the night, 

    [11] who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth

        and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ 

    [12] There they cry out, but he does not answer,

        because of the pride of evil men. 

    [13] Surely God does not hear an empty cry,

        nor does the Almighty regard it. 

    [14] How much less when you say that you do not see him,

        that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him! 

    [15] And now, because his anger does not punish,

        and he does not take much note of transgression, 

    [16] Job opens his mouth in empty talk;

        he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Micah 4

The Mountain of the LORD

    [1] It shall come to pass in the latter days

        that the mountain of the house of the LORD

    shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

        and it shall be lifted up above the hills;

    and peoples shall flow to it, 

    [2]     and many nations shall come, and say:

    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

        to the house of the God of Jacob,

    that he may teach us his ways

        and that we may walk in his paths.”

    For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

        and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

    [3] He shall judge between many peoples,

        and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;

    and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

        and their spears into pruning hooks;

    nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

        neither shall they learn war anymore; 

    [4] but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,

        and no one shall make them afraid,

        for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 

    [5] For all the peoples walk

        each in the name of its god,

    but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God

        forever and ever.

    The LORD Shall Rescue Zion

    [6] In that day, declares the LORD,

        I will assemble the lame

    and gather those who have been driven away

        and those whom I have afflicted; 

    [7] and the lame I will make the remnant,

        and those who were cast off, a strong nation;

    and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion

        from this time forth and forevermore.

    [8] And you, O tower of the flock,

        hill of the daughter of Zion,

    to you shall it come,

        the former dominion shall come,

        kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.

    [9] Now why do you cry aloud?

        Is there no king in you?

    Has your counselor perished,

        that pain seized you like a woman in labor? 

    [10] Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,

        like a woman in labor,

    for now you shall go out from the city

        and dwell in the open country;

        you shall go to Babylon.

    There you shall be rescued;

        there the LORD will redeem you

        from the hand of your enemies.

    [11] Now many nations

        are assembled against you,

    saying, “Let her be defiled,

        and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” 

    [12] But they do not know

        the thoughts of the LORD;

    they do not understand his plan,

        that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. 

    [13] Arise and thresh,

        O daughter of Zion,

    for I will make your horn iron,

        and I will make your hoofs bronze;

    you shall beat in pieces many peoples;

        and shall devote their gain to the LORD,

        their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Micah 5

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

    [1]  Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;

        siege is laid against us;

    with a rod they strike the judge of Israel

        on the cheek. 

    [2]  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

        who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

    from you shall come forth for me

        one who is to be ruler in Israel,

    whose coming forth is from of old,

        from ancient days. 

    [3] Therefore he shall give them up until the time

        when she who is in labor has given birth;

    then the rest of his brothers shall return

        to the people of Israel. 

    [4] And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,

        in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

    And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

        to the ends of the earth. 

    [5] And he shall be their peace.

    When the Assyrian comes into our land

        and treads in our palaces,

    then we will raise against him seven shepherds

        and eight princes of men; 

    [6] they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

        and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;

    and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian

        when he comes into our land

        and treads within our border.

    A Remnant Shall Be Delivered

    [7] Then the remnant of Jacob shall be

        in the midst of many peoples

    like dew from the LORD,

        like showers on the grass,

    which delay not for a man

        nor wait for the children of man. 

    [8] And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations,

        in the midst of many peoples,

    like a lion among the beasts of the forest,

        like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,

    which, when it goes through, treads down

        and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. 

    [9] Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,

        and all your enemies shall be cut off.

    [10] And in that day, declares the LORD,

        I will cut off your horses from among you

        and will destroy your chariots; 

    [11] and I will cut off the cities of your land

        and throw down all your strongholds; 

    [12] and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

        and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes; 

    [13] and I will cut off your carved images

        and your pillars from among you,

    and you shall bow down no more

        to the work of your hands; 

    [14] and I will root out your Asherah images from among you

        and destroy your cities. 

    [15] And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance

        on the nations that did not obey.