NL-Day323 Ezra 7-8; Isaiah 32; 2 Corinthians 12:19-13:14
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/19/2024
NL-Day026 Genesis 42-43; Job 26; Mark 16
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 42-43: Yesterday in chapter 41, we heard of Pharaoh's dream, and what happened to Joseph as a result of his correctly telling the interpretation. Note also that Joseph was careful to give the glory to God for that interpretation. JOB 26: Yesterday in chapter 25, Bildad only had a six verse response, because Job interrupted him with the speech we will read today. Bildad implied Job’s guilt in more than one way, including this most obvious rhetorical question: 4 Can anyone be righteous or pure in God's sight? MARK 16: Yesterday we heard of the death and burial of Jesus. That chapter...
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NL-Day025 Genesis 41; Job 25; Mark 15:33-47
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 41: In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God’s business. JOB 25: Yesterday Job said, Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of justice for those who serve him? (Job 24:1) And speaking of the helpless and downtrodden he said, “In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers. (v12) Starting in v18 GNT follows a number of other translations in saying that Zophar chimed in, disagreeing that the wicked are indeed punished, contradicting what Job was saying. NLT doesn’t do that....
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NL-Day024 Genesis 40; Job 24; Mark 15:1-32
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 40: In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top. JOB 24: Job continues his response to Eliphaz. MARK 15a: At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. NLT Translation notes: 2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “[Yes,...
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NL-Day023 Genesis 38-39; Job 23; Mark 14:43-72
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 38-39: In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt. JOB 23: Yesterday Eliphaz said: GNT 4 It is not because you stand in awe of God that he reprimands you and brings you to trial. 5 No, it's because you have sinned so much; it's because of all the evil you do. And he also said, 21 Now, Job, make peace with God and stop treating him like an enemy; if you do, then he will bless you. 22 Accept the teaching he gives; keep his words in your heart. 23 Yes, you must humbly return to God and put an end to all the...
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NL-Day022 Genesis 37; Job 22; Mark 14:1-42
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 37: The focus of Genesis 36 was on the descendants of Esau, and the ethnic groups they spawned. JOB 22: In chapter 21, Job gave a very convincing argument that God does not always punish wicked people— refuting what Zophar said. Today Eliphaz begins the third set of exchanges between Job and his ‘friends’. Eliphaz’ promises at the end of his speech sound rather hollow to me. MARK 14a: Yesterday we read the prophecy chapter of Mark, chapter 13. The theme of that chapter is “Be ready” and Jesus says, “Keep watching for Me.” NLT Translation notes: Gen. 36: 2 This is...
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NL-Day021 Genesis 36; Job 21; Mark 13
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 36: Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to Bethel. At the end of yesterday’s reading, Rachel and Grampa Isaak died. JOB 21: In Zophar's angry speech yesterday in chapter 20, he did not directly say that Job was wicked, but he clearly implied it. MARK 13: Chapter 12— which gives an overview of the interactions with the enemies and critics of Jesus, basically marks the end of Jesus' public ministry as related by Mark. NLT Translation notes: Mrk. 13:8 Nation will go to war against...
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NL-Day020 Genesis 34-35; Job 20; Mark 12:24-44
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 34-35: Yesterday we heard about Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious heavenly figure, and about Jacob's reunion with Esau. JOB 20: This chapter is Zophar’s second response to Job. In chapter 19, Job responded to Bildad's second speech. Job expressed amazing belief that he would see his defender (often translated ‘redeemer’). He says, 25 But I know there is someone in heaven who will come at last to my defense. 26 Even after my skin is eaten by disease, while still in this body I will see God. 27 I will see him with my own eyes, and he will not be a stranger. MARK 12b:...
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NL-Day019: Genesis 32-33; Job 19; Mark 12:1-27
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 32-33: Yesterday we heard how Jacob and his big family got away from Laban and started the journey home. When Laban caught up with him, he and Jacob got into a quarrel and ended up making a covenant. JOB 19: In chapter 18, Bildad once again gave a speech about what happens to wicked people, and by implication, he said, “You're just getting what you deserve.” Job’s response in today’s chapter includes amazing revelations. Verses 23-27 can be compared with the second half of 1Corinthians 15. MARK 12a: In Mark 11, Jesus was welcomed in triumph in Jerusalem, he cursed a fig tree...
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NL-Day018 Genesis 31; Job 18; Mark 11
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 31: Yesterday we heard of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and about more sons for Jacob— whose names all have meanings appropriate to what Rachel or Leah were feeling at the time. JOB 18: Yesterday Job again complained that he was surrounded by mockers, and despairingly again said 15 Where is there any hope for me? Who sees any? 16 Hope will not go with me when I go down to the world of the dead. MARK 11: Jesus has by now prepared his disciples for his death by prophesying about it, and by teaching them about what it will be like to ‘lead’ in His kingdom. And he healed...
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NL-Day017 Genesis 30; Job 17; Mark 10:28-52
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 30: In yesterday’s reading , Jacob left home, and God appeared to him and promised to bless him as he blessed Isaac. Jacob worked for Laban, married both Leah and Rachel, and he had four sons through Leah. JOB 17: Yesterday was the first chapter of Job's response to Eliphaz. He complained that his three comforters were not very comforting. 1-2 GNT I have heard words like that before; the comfort you give is only torment. 3 Are you going to keep on talking forever? Do you always have to have the last word? And he said, 6 But nothing I say helps, and being silent does not calm my pain....
info_outlineEZRA 7-8:
Yesterday we read of how King Darius completely sided with the Israelites seeking to reestablish the temple worship. Note that the letter to Darius from the government officials was rather complementary and not threatening loss to the king’s interests as the letter from the earlier officials. Remember also that this King Darius is the one who was duped into putting Daniel into the lions’ den, and who then issued a decree that everyone must respect Daniel’s God.
ISAIAH 32:
Isaiah’s prophecy in yesterday’s reading certainly came true!
Is. 31:8 NLT “The Assyrians will be destroyed,
but not by the swords of men.
The sword of God will strike them,
and they will panic and flee.
That happened on the night recorded in 2Kings 19 where the Lord put to death 185,000 men. Quote,
“When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.”
2CORINTHIANS 13:
Yesterday we read the reasons why Paul boasted about his weaknesses— something that is utterly unintuitive for worldly people to understand. Then Paul continued to speak about what he hoped NOT to find on his upcoming visit to the Corinthian believers.
Chapter 13 is another good place to tout the virtues of a good meaning based translation. Paul uses the word ‘test’ in three different senses in this chapter. This makes several verses hard to understand in a literal translation. The NLT and the GNT have done a good job helping the reader understand the different senses in which Paul used that word.
Let’s continue from the last paragraph of chapter 12.
NLT Translation notes:
2Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves to see if [you really fully believe//your faith is genuine]. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of [fully believing in Christ//genuine faith].
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.