Doing Time With Jesus!

[How Firm a Foundation] Creation

Touching Heaven, Changing Earth

New Day, New Year, and New Beginnings - 31 Days of Fresh Starts

Reading With the People of God #9 - Faithfulness

Ecclesiastes Book Study - TheStory

Overcoming

The Gentile Pentecost (Acts 8-15)

Finding Courage in the Storm

Glory: Training Time

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkCOL">
 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="COL.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="p"> 1I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.</div><div class="s1">Spiritual Fullness in Christ</div><div class="p"> 6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.</div><div class="p"> 8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces#2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20 of this world rather than on Christ.</div><div class="p"> 9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh#2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13. was put off when you were circumcised by#2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.</div><div class="p"> 13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you#2:13 Some manuscripts us alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.#2:15 Or them in him</div><div class="s1">Freedom From Human Rules</div><div class="p"> 16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.</div><div class="p"> 20Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21&#8220;Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!&#8221;? 22These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="2KI.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="s1">Naaman Healed of Leprosy</div><div class="p"> 1Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.#5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.</div><div class="p"> 2Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman&#8217;s wife. 3She said to her mistress, &#8220;If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5&#8220;By all means, go,&#8221; the king of Aram replied. &#8220;I will send a letter to the king of Israel.&#8221; So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents#5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms of silver, six thousand shekels#5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: &#8220;With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, &#8220;Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: &#8220;Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.&#8221; 9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha&#8217;s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, &#8220;Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11But Naaman went away angry and said, &#8220;I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn&#8217;t I wash in them and be cleansed?&#8221; So he turned and went off in a rage.</div><div class="p"> 13Naaman&#8217;s servants went to him and said, &#8220;My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, &#8216;Wash and be cleansed&#8217;!&#8221; 14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.</div><div class="p"> 15Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, &#8220;Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16The prophet answered, &#8220;As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.&#8221; And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;If you will not,&#8221; said Naaman, &#8220;please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also&#8212;when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;Go in peace,&#8221; Elisha said.</div><div class="p">After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, &#8220;My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. &#8220;Is everything all right?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;Everything is all right,&#8221; Gehazi answered. &#8220;My master sent me to say, &#8216;Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent#5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms of silver and two sets of clothing.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23&#8220;By all means, take two talents,&#8221; said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.</div><div class="p"> 25When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, &#8220;Where have you been, Gehazi?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Your servant didn&#8217;t go anywhere,&#8221; Gehazi answered.</div><div class="p"> 26But Elisha said to him, &#8220;Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes&#8212;or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 27Naaman&#8217;s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.&#8221; Then Gehazi went from Elisha&#8217;s presence and his skin was leprous&#8212;it had become as white as snow.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="2KI.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="s1">An Axhead Floats</div><div class="p"> 1The company of the prophets said to Elisha, &#8220;Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.&#8221;</div><div class="p">And he said, &#8220;Go.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Then one of them said, &#8220;Won&#8217;t you please come with your servants?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;I will,&#8221; Elisha replied. 4And he went with them.</div><div class="p">They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. &#8220;Oh no, my lord!&#8221; he cried out. &#8220;It was borrowed!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6The man of God asked, &#8220;Where did it fall?&#8221; When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7&#8220;Lift it out,&#8221; he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.</div><div class="s1">Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans</div><div class="p"> 8Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, &#8220;I will set up my camp in such and such a place.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: &#8220;Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.&#8221; 10So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.</div><div class="p"> 11This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, &#8220;Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;None of us, my lord the king,&#8221; said one of his officers, &#8220;but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;Go, find out where he is,&#8221; the king ordered, &#8220;so I can send men and capture him.&#8221; The report came back: &#8220;He is in Dothan.&#8221; 14Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.</div><div class="p"> 15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. &#8220;Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?&#8221; the servant asked.</div><div class="p"> 16&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid,&#8221; the prophet answered. &#8220;Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17And Elisha prayed, &#8220;Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.&#8221; Then the Lord opened the servant&#8217;s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.</div><div class="p"> 18As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, &#8220;Strike this army with blindness.&#8221; So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.</div><div class="p"> 19Elisha told them, &#8220;This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.&#8221; And he led them to Samaria.</div><div class="p"> 20After they entered the city, Elisha said, &#8220;Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.&#8221; Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.</div><div class="p"> 21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, &#8220;Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;Do not kill them,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.&#8221; 23So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel&#8217;s territory.</div><div class="s1">Famine in Besieged Samaria</div><div class="p"> 24Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. 25There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey&#8217;s head sold for eighty shekels#6:25 That is, about 2 pounds or about 920 grams of silver, and a quarter of a cab#6:25 That is, probably about 1/4 pound or about 100 grams of seed pods#6:25 Or of doves&#8217; dung for five shekels.#6:25 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams</div><div class="p"> 26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, &#8220;Help me, my lord the king!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27The king replied, &#8220;If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?&#8221; 28Then he asked her, &#8220;What&#8217;s the matter?&#8221;</div><div class="p">She answered, &#8220;This woman said to me, &#8216;Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we&#8217;ll eat my son.&#8217; 29So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, &#8216;Give up your son so we may eat him,&#8217; but she had hidden him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30When the king heard the woman&#8217;s words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body. 31He said, &#8220;May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, &#8220;Don&#8217;t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master&#8217;s footsteps behind him?&#8221; 33While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.</div><div class="p">The king said, &#8220;This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkPSA">
 <div class="chapter ch68" data-usfm="PSA.68">
 <div class="label">68</div><div class="cl">Psalm 68#In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.</div><div class="d">For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.</div><div class="q1"> 1May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;</div><div class="q2">may his foes flee before him.</div><div class="q1"> 2May you blow them away like smoke&#8212;</div><div class="q2">as wax melts before the fire,</div><div class="q2">may the wicked perish before God.</div><div class="q1"> 3But may the righteous be glad</div><div class="q2">and rejoice before God;</div><div class="q2">may they be happy and joyful.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,</div><div class="q2">extol him who rides on the clouds#68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts;</div><div class="q2">rejoice before him&#8212;his name is the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,</div><div class="q2">is God in his holy dwelling.</div><div class="q1"> 6God sets the lonely in families,#68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland</div><div class="q2">he leads out the prisoners with singing;</div><div class="q2">but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 7When you, God, went out before your people,</div><div class="q2">when you marched through the wilderness,#68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.</div><div class="q1"> 8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,</div><div class="q2">before God, the One of Sinai,</div><div class="q2">before God, the God of Israel.</div><div class="q1"> 9You gave abundant showers, O God;</div><div class="q2">you refreshed your weary inheritance.</div><div class="q1"> 10Your people settled in it,</div><div class="q2">and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 11The Lord announces the word,</div><div class="q2">and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:</div><div class="q1"> 12&#8220;Kings and armies flee in haste;</div><div class="q2">the women at home divide the plunder.</div><div class="q1"> 13Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,#68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags</div><div class="q2">the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,</div><div class="q2">its feathers with shining gold.&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 14When the Almighty#68:14 Hebrew Shaddai scattered the kings in the land,</div><div class="q2">it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,</div><div class="q2">Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,</div><div class="q1"> 16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,</div><div class="q2">at the mountain where God chooses to reign,</div><div class="q2">where the Lord himself will dwell forever?</div><div class="q1"> 17The chariots of God are tens of thousands</div><div class="q2">and thousands of thousands;</div><div class="q2">the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.#68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness</div><div class="q1"> 18When you ascended on high,</div><div class="q2">you took many captives;</div><div class="q2">you received gifts from people,</div><div class="q1">even from#68:18 Or gifts for people, / even the rebellious&#8212;</div><div class="q2">that you,#68:18 Or they Lord God, might dwell there.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,</div><div class="q2">who daily bears our burdens.</div><div class="q1"> 20Our God is a God who saves;</div><div class="q2">from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.</div><div class="q1"> 21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,</div><div class="q2">the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.</div><div class="q1"> 22The Lord says, &#8220;I will bring them from Bashan;</div><div class="q2">I will bring them from the depths of the sea,</div><div class="q1"> 23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,</div><div class="q2">while the tongues of your dogs have their share.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 24Your procession, God, has come into view,</div><div class="q2">the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.</div><div class="q1"> 25In front are the singers, after them the musicians;</div><div class="q2">with them are the young women playing the timbrels.</div><div class="q1"> 26Praise God in the great congregation;</div><div class="q2">praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.</div><div class="q1"> 27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,</div><div class="q2">there the great throng of Judah&#8217;s princes,</div><div class="q2">and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 28Summon your power, God#68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you;</div><div class="q2">show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.</div><div class="q1"> 29Because of your temple at Jerusalem</div><div class="q2">kings will bring you gifts.</div><div class="q1"> 30Rebuke the beast among the reeds,</div><div class="q2">the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.</div><div class="q1">Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.</div><div class="q2">Scatter the nations who delight in war.</div><div class="q1"> 31Envoys will come from Egypt;</div><div class="q2">Cush#68:31 That is, the upper Nile region will submit herself to God.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,</div><div class="q2">sing praise to the Lord,</div><div class="q1"> 33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,</div><div class="q2">who thunders with mighty voice.</div><div class="q1"> 34Proclaim the power of God,</div><div class="q2">whose majesty is over Israel,</div><div class="q2">whose power is in the heavens.</div><div class="q1"> 35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;</div><div class="q2">the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">Praise be to God!</div>
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