The Cultivation of Consistency

Perfectly Imperfect | Discovering Grace When Perfect Isn’t Possible, a 7-Day Devotional by Jacques McNeil

Seeing With Your Ears

Seeing the World With God’s Eyes

Sent With Purpose

Acts 19:23-41 | Living for Christ in a Confused World

Stronger Together: Pursuing Your True North With Others

Women of the New Testament

See God’s Peace: 3 Days of Visio Divina

When Grief or Loss Hits Like a Wave

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 bkGEN">
 <div class="chapter ch20" data-usfm="GEN.20">
 <div class="label">20</div><div class="s1">Abraham and Abimelek</div><div class="p"> 1Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, &#8220;She is my sister.&#8221; Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.</div><div class="p"> 3But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, &#8220;You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, &#8220;Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5Did he not say to me, &#8216;She is my sister,&#8217; and didn&#8217;t she also say, &#8216;He is my brother&#8217;? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Then God said to him in the dream, &#8220;Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7Now return the man&#8217;s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, &#8220;What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.&#8221; 10And Abimelek asked Abraham, &#8220;What was your reason for doing this?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Abraham replied, &#8220;I said to myself, &#8216;There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.&#8217; 12Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13And when God had me wander from my father&#8217;s household, I said to her, &#8216;This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, &#8220;He is my brother.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15And Abimelek said, &#8220;My land is before you; live wherever you like.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16To Sarah he said, &#8220;I am giving your brother a thousand shekels#20:16 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, 18for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek&#8217;s household from conceiving because of Abraham&#8217;s wife Sarah.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOB">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="JOB.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Job</div><div class="p"> 1Then Job replied:</div><div class="q1"> 2&#8220;Indeed, I know that this is true.</div><div class="q2">But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?</div><div class="q1"> 3Though they wished to dispute with him,</div><div class="q2">they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.</div><div class="q1"> 4His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.</div><div class="q2">Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?</div><div class="q1"> 5He moves mountains without their knowing it</div><div class="q2">and overturns them in his anger.</div><div class="q1"> 6He shakes the earth from its place</div><div class="q2">and makes its pillars tremble.</div><div class="q1"> 7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;</div><div class="q2">he seals off the light of the stars.</div><div class="q1"> 8He alone stretches out the heavens</div><div class="q2">and treads on the waves of the sea.</div><div class="q1"> 9He is the Maker of the Bear#9:9 Or of Leo and Orion,</div><div class="q2">the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.</div><div class="q1"> 10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,</div><div class="q2">miracles that cannot be counted.</div><div class="q1"> 11When he passes me, I cannot see him;</div><div class="q2">when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.</div><div class="q1"> 12If he snatches away, who can stop him?</div><div class="q2">Who can say to him, &#8216;What are you doing?&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 13God does not restrain his anger;</div><div class="q2">even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 14&#8220;How then can I dispute with him?</div><div class="q2">How can I find words to argue with him?</div><div class="q1"> 15Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;</div><div class="q2">I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.</div><div class="q1"> 16Even if I summoned him and he responded,</div><div class="q2">I do not believe he would give me a hearing.</div><div class="q1"> 17He would crush me with a storm</div><div class="q2">and multiply my wounds for no reason.</div><div class="q1"> 18He would not let me catch my breath</div><div class="q2">but would overwhelm me with misery.</div><div class="q1"> 19If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!</div><div class="q2">And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him#9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.?</div><div class="q1"> 20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;</div><div class="q2">if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 21&#8220;Although I am blameless,</div><div class="q2">I have no concern for myself;</div><div class="q2">I despise my own life.</div><div class="q1"> 22It is all the same; that is why I say,</div><div class="q2">&#8216;He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 23When a scourge brings sudden death,</div><div class="q2">he mocks the despair of the innocent.</div><div class="q1"> 24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,</div><div class="q2">he blindfolds its judges.</div><div class="q2">If it is not he, then who is it?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 25&#8220;My days are swifter than a runner;</div><div class="q2">they fly away without a glimpse of joy.</div><div class="q1"> 26They skim past like boats of papyrus,</div><div class="q2">like eagles swooping down on their prey.</div><div class="q1"> 27If I say, &#8216;I will forget my complaint,</div><div class="q2">I will change my expression, and smile,&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 28I still dread all my sufferings,</div><div class="q2">for I know you will not hold me innocent.</div><div class="q1"> 29Since I am already found guilty,</div><div class="q2">why should I struggle in vain?</div><div class="q1"> 30Even if I washed myself with soap</div><div class="q2">and my hands with cleansing powder,</div><div class="q1"> 31you would plunge me into a slime pit</div><div class="q2">so that even my clothes would detest me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 32&#8220;He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,</div><div class="q2">that we might confront each other in court.</div><div class="q1"> 33If only there were someone to mediate between us,</div><div class="q2">someone to bring us together,</div><div class="q1"> 34someone to remove God&#8217;s rod from me,</div><div class="q2">so that his terror would frighten me no more.</div><div class="q1"> 35Then I would speak up without fear of him,</div><div class="q2">but as it now stands with me, I cannot.</div><div class="b"></div>
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New International Version

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="MAT.12.22+MAT.12.23+MAT.12.24+MAT.12.25+MAT.12.26+MAT.12.27+MAT.12.28+MAT.12.29+MAT.12.30+MAT.12.31+MAT.12.32+MAT.12.33+MAT.12.34+MAT.12.35+MAT.12.36+MAT.12.37+MAT.12.38+MAT.12.39+MAT.12.40+MAT.12.41+MAT.12.42+MAT.12.43+MAT.12.44+MAT.12.45+MAT.12.46+MAT.12.47+MAT.12.48+MAT.12.49+MAT.12.50">
 <div class="p">22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, &#8220;Could this be the Son of David?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, &#8220;It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, &#8220;Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.</div><div class="p"> 29 &#8220;Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man&#8217;s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.</div><div class="p"> 30 &#8220;Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.</div><div class="p"> 33 &#8220;Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Sign of Jonah</div><div class="p"> 38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, &#8220;Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39He answered, &#8220;A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon&#8217;s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.</div><div class="p"> 43 &#8220;When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44Then it says, &#8216;I will return to the house I left.&#8217; When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus&#8217; Mother and Brothers</div><div class="p"> 46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, &#8220;Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 48He replied to him, &#8220;Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?&#8221; 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, &#8220;Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.&#8221;</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="ROM.9.1+ROM.9.2+ROM.9.3+ROM.9.4+ROM.9.5+ROM.9.6+ROM.9.7+ROM.9.8+ROM.9.9+ROM.9.10+ROM.9.11+ROM.9.12+ROM.9.13+ROM.9.14+ROM.9.15+ROM.9.16+ROM.9.17+ROM.9.18+ROM.9.19+ROM.9.20+ROM.9.21+ROM.9.22+ROM.9.23+ROM.9.24+ROM.9.25+ROM.9.26">
 <div class="p">1I speak the truth in Christ&#8212;I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit&#8212; 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!#9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised! Amen.</div><div class="s1">God&#8217;s Sovereign Choice</div><div class="p"> 6It is not as though God&#8217;s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham&#8217;s children. On the contrary, &#8220;It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.&#8221;#9:7 Gen. 21:12 8In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God&#8217;s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham&#8217;s offspring. 9For this was how the promise was stated: &#8220;At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.&#8221;#9:9 Gen. 18:10,14</div><div class="p"> 10Not only that, but Rebekah&#8217;s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad&#8212;in order that God&#8217;s purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls&#8212;she was told, &#8220;The older will serve the younger.&#8221;#9:12 Gen. 25:23 13Just as it is written: &#8220;Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.&#8221;#9:13 Mal. 1:2,3</div><div class="p"> 14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,</div><div class="q2">and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.&#8221;#9:15 Exodus 33:19</div><div class="m"> 16It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God&#8217;s mercy. 17For Scripture says to Pharaoh: &#8220;I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.&#8221;#9:17 Exodus 9:16 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.</div><div class="p"> 19One of you will say to me: &#8220;Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?&#8221; 20But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? &#8220;Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, &#8216;Why did you make me like this?&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;#9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?</div><div class="p"> 22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath&#8212;prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory&#8212; 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25As he says in Hosea:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;I will call them &#8216;my people&#8217; who are not my people;</div><div class="q2">and I will call her &#8216;my loved one&#8217; who is not my loved one,&#8221;#9:25 Hosea 2:23</div><div class="m"> 26and,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;In the very place where it was said to them,</div><div class="q2">&#8216;You are not my people,&#8217;</div><div class="q2">there they will be called &#8216;children of the living God.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;#9:26 Hosea 1:10</div><div class="m"> </div>
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