Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Join us in reading through the whole NLT Bible in 365 20-minute-long podcasts! This podcast was previously named Daily Bible Reading.

NL-Day067 Numbers 1; Psalm 25; Luke 17:20-37 03/01/2026

NL-Day067 Numbers 1; Psalm 25; Luke 17:20-37 NUMBERS 1:Numbers is the 4th of Moses' 5 books. And this is the one that I have looked forward to as the hardest book of all to read in the podcast! In this book we will see that unbelief hinders God's blessings for Israel. HC Mears says, “Numbers might be called the Wilderness Wanderings,” because it chronicles the journey. And “Numbers might be called the book of the March and the Roll Call. ... It might, too, be called the Book of Murmurings, because from beginning to end it is filled with the spirit of rebellion against God.” “Leviticus dealt with the believers' worship— Numbers deals with the believer's walk. In Leviticus we see the believer’s privileges— in Numbers the wilderness is the drill field.” Important lessons from the Book of Numbers: We must trust God, not people. God will supply all we need, including food, meat, water, leaders, and land. We must worship God according to his instructions. PSALM 25:This is our first acrostic poem. Verse 14 is translated as ‘secret’ by older translations which followed the KJV, but is better translated as ‘friendship/friend’. Here we read of the privilege of an intimate relationship with the Lord. I am reminded of a few years ago when things were not going well for me in relation to the leaders of my organization. Psalms like this were very comforting to me. LUKE 17b: Yesterday in 17a Jesus taught about the importance of forgiving others, the importance of believing fully and being humble servants. Then we heard of the healing of 10 men who had a contageous/dreaded skin disease. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 17:3 So watch yourselves! “If your fellow believer sins, rebuke [him//that person]; then if [he repents//there is repentance], forgive [him/0].[I don’t mind some gender sensitivity, but NLT goes overboard here.]5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our [our level of believing in God//faith].”6 The Lord answered, “If your [belief in him is tiny, just as tiny as// had faith even as small] as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting [over and over again//0], “Praise God!”19 And Jesus said to the man, “[You may stand//Stand] up and go [now/0]. [It is because you believe fully in Me that you have been healed.//Your faith has healed you.]”22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the [I—/0] Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it.24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when [I—] the Son of Man [come/comes].26 “When [I return as//0] the Son of Man [0/returns], it will be like it was in Noah’s day.30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when [I—] the Son of Man[, am//is] revealed.37 “Where will this happen, Lord?”i the disciples asked. Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows [clearly that//there is] a carcass [is somewhere//0] nearby, so [the signs that indicate the end will be obvious//so these signs indicate that the end is near].” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5046063

NL-Day066 Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 24; Luke 17:1-21 03/01/2026

NL-Day066 Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 24; Luke 17:1-21 LEVITICUS 26-27:Yesterday we heard about the Sabbath year and the year of Restoration/Jubilee. Before the Year of Restoration, property could be bought back//redeemed. In the Restoration year property was returned to the original owners and poor people who had become enslaved were set free. I suspect these laws were never done in all of Israel's history. If they were, perhaps only once— fifty years after Israel entered the land of Canaan. PSALM 24:This Psalm is one of the most majestic psalms! This ends with the song for welcoming the triumphant Messiah into Jerusalem. LUKE 17a:Yesterday in chapter 16 we heard two longer parables— both very insightful: The parable of the shrewd manager, and the one about the rich man and Lazarus. Both of them show this lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they (those friends) will welcome you to an eternal home. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 17: 3 So watch yourselves! “If your fellow believer sins, rebuke [him//that person] ; then if [he repents//there is repentance], forgive [him/0].[I don’t mind some gender sensitivity, but NLT goes overboard here.]5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our [our level of believing in God//faith].”6 The Lord answered, “If your [belief in him is tiny, just as tiny as// had faith even as small] as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting [over and over again//0], “Praise God!” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “[You may stand//Stand] up and go [now/0]. [It is because you believe fully in Me that you have been healed.//Your faith has healed you.]”24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when [I—] the Son of Man [come/comes]. 26 “When [I return as//0] the Son of Man [0/returns], it will be like it was in Noah’s day.30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when [I—/0] the Son of Man[, am//is] revealed.37 “Where will this happen, Lord?”i the disciples asked.Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows [clearly that//there is] a carcass [is somewhere//0] nearby, so [the signs that indicate the end will be obvious//so these signs indicate that the end is near].” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5045880

NL-Day065 Leviticus 25; Psalm 23; Luke 16 03/01/2026

064: Reader, take NOTE! Pointers for understanding parables 03/01/2026

064: Reader, take NOTE! Pointers for understanding parables Today I would like to give pointers for understanding Jesus’ parables. I consider the parable to be one of the greatest of all teaching devices, and a legacy of the Greatest Teacher. I will end this episode by sharing a non-Biblical parable. One little detail to understand is that the word ‘parable’ (Greek paraboles) had a wider meaning than we normally think of in English, and you may see this sometimes in the New Testament. In English, we normally think of a parable as a story that points to some deeper meaning. However, as an example, the word ‘parable’ is used for a one-sentence figurative teaching in Mark 7:17 where it refers back to Jesus’ statement in verse 15: GW “Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It’s what comes out of a person that makes him unclean.” In verse 17, the disciples ask Jesus to explain that ‘parable’. With that footnote, I want you to know that I will really just be talking briefly about what we normally think of as parables, the story type. In the episode notes, I give links to more complete and scholarly information than what I will present to you. In particular, I recommend viewing the 6 minute video from bibleproject.com entitled . Also in the episode notes, I have links to both a video and a good summary about . ======= Bob Utley’s Special Topic page on Interpreting Parables: Bob Utley’s video on Luke 15: Don’t miss the cool video from ! Title: The Parables of Jesus I appreciated the original thinking and humorous examples in this short article: ======= As I was thinking about what to mention to you, I was reading a historically-interesting commentary by Christopher Wordsworth from 1856, and I almost stumbled into a common error in interpreting parables, which is thinking of them as allegories. An example of this is Luke chapter 15, where we have the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son. Wordsworth gives an allegorical interpretation, assigning an identity to all the characters. In this case, the shepherd is Christ, who searches for his lost sheep. That’s not too bad. But seeing the woman who loses one of her coins as a picture of the church, is definitely stretching things. Similarly in the Parable of the Lost Son, the father is interpreted as God, the younger son as the Gentiles who repent, and the older son as the Jews. One of the things that leads people to take an overly allegorical approach to the parables has to be Jesus himself, in his foundational teaching about the parables found in Mark 4, Mat. 13, and Luk. 8. In Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower, He might almost contradict my last point about allegorical interpretation. It just happens that the Parable of the Sower (also called the Parable of the Different Kinds of Soil) has clear allegorical elements (the birds, path, rocky soil, etc), whereas for many other parables it doesn’t help to seek an allegorical identity for the various participants. A second thing that is unusual in the Parable of the Soils is that it has clear multiple teaching points, whereas most parables have a single, simple point. I have mentioned all this heavy stuff to bring us around to this simple point: When we get too fancy in our interpretation of parables, we tend to miss the main point, which is to ask, “How does this apply to me?” The cool thing about parables is that Jesus intended them to be multi-purpose. People who were ready to believe in Jesus would get one interpretation, and the religious leaders criticizing Him would understand Jesus’ meaning very differently. Both groups got a correct interpretation, as Jesus intended, even though the interpretations were different. This propensity of parables to be interpreted differently has a plus side and a negative side. On one hand, we must remember that parables are not good for determining doctrine. Let’s not decide the timing of Jesus’ second coming based on parables, but some of the parables clearly illustrate something about Jesus’ second coming. The plus side is that the Holy Spirit may use Jesus’ parables to say something very pointedly appropriate for you. I have been amazed that in the Parable of Different Kinds of Soil I sometimes find that I am dangerously close to living amongst thorns, way too concerned with the cares of this life. But in a few months when I come across the parable again, I find that I have moved over to the rocky soil, meaning that I might glibly say that I love God’s Word, but on that day if I am honest, I have to admit that my roots are dangerously shallow. Another illustration of a personal application for me is this, which I don’t think I have ever shared with anyone before: When I read the story of the prodigal son, I am reminded that I acted like the prodigal son, when I was young and thoughtless, by asking for part of my inheritance early. I didn’t realize that this was tantamount to wishing my father dead. How this must have hurt him! I wish I could tell him how sorry I am that I ever did that. Don’t look to parables for decisions about moving to another city, quitting your job, or selling your house. That’s not what I mean by a personal application. Finally, here are three final pointers: Understanding the context and the audience Jesus was speaking to is key to understanding what Jesus was saying. You can see a progression in Luke’s Gospel that leads from more general parables about the Kingdom of God, to Jesus’ identity as the king who will return, and to whom everyone will give an account. Look to see if the Gospel writer or Jesus himself tells what He was driving at. And also take note of any surprising twist in the story. Such twists often give an important clue to the meaning. Let me illustrate that idea of a surprising twist found in some parables. One of my favorite booklets that we printed to display our translation in Indonesia is a collection of 25 parables. If I am in Indonesia, I like to have that booklet handy in my bag. There was one devout Islamic taxi driver that took me to my home at least six times. Because of frequent traffic jams in Jakarta, a 20 minute trip can take two hours on bad days. So I started reading the parables to him. He was interested, and it was way better than trying to debate with him about our religions. After many of the parables he would say, “OK, yeah. I think we Muslims could agree with that one.” That continued until we got to the Parable of the Vineyard owner in Matthew 20. That’s the one where the vineyard owner gives all the workers the same pay for a full day’s work, even though some workers only worked for one hour. He responded, “What?! He did that? That’s crazy. That’s unfair!” This gave me an opportunity to talk about God’s kindness. We call it grace. God wants to be generous with us, because none of us can manage to earn our salvation. God designed this counterintuitive situation so that all glory would go to our Savior, and none would go to us. As I will not be living in the same place in Jakarta when I go back (in July 2022), it is not likely that I will take that route again with the same taxi driver. It is not appropriate for me to share his name. But you can join me in praying for that taxi driver that I read parables to. To give you a chance of hearing a parable for the first time (like Jesus’ followers had), I’ll read The Innovator by G. Williams Jones, from his book with the same name, published by Abingdon Press, copyright 1969. The complete name of the book is The Innovator and Other Modern Parables. Announcement: If anyone knows of any of the heirs of G. William Jones, please ask them to contact me. May the Lord bless you ‘Real Good’! Phil /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/25842936

NL-Day064 Leviticus 23-24; Psalm 22; Luke 15 03/01/2026

NL-Day063 Leviticus 21-22; Psalm 21; Luke 14 03/01/2026

NL-Day062 Leviticus 19-20; Psalm 20; Luke 13 03/01/2026

NL-Day061 Leviticus 17-18; Psalm 19; Luke 12:21-59 03/01/2026

NL-Day061 Leviticus 17-18; Psalm 19; Luke 12:21-59 LEVITICUS 17-18:Yesterday we learned about regulations concerning uncleanness caused by bodily discharges of all kinds. Then we heard the procedures for the high priest to perform yearly on the day of atonement. PSALM 19:Today’s Psalm is a famous poem celebrating the heavens and God's creation, and secondly celebrating the perfection of God's Word. LUKE 12b:In yesterday’s reading in this chapter, Jesus warned about hypocrisy, and one of our biggest fears— fearing what other people will think of us. I want to read a clear version of these three verses: Luk. 12:8 [PET “I tell you the truth, everyone who says publicly here on earth, ‘I am a follower of Jesus’, I, the Son of Man, will also acknowledge them as my followers in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But those who deny me here on earth, saying they are not my disciples, I will also say that they are not my disciples in the presence of God’s angels.//GNT “I assure you that those who declare publicly that they belong to me, [I,] the Son of Man will do the same for them before the angels of God. 9 But those who reject me publicly, [I,] the Son of Man will also reject them before the angels of God.]10 “Whoever says a word against [Me,] the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 19:3 They speak without a sound or word;their voice is never [actually/0] heard.8 The [commands/commandments] of the LORD are right,bringing joy to the heart.11 They are a warning to [me,/0] your servant,a great reward for those who obey them.13 Keep [me,/0] your servant, from deliberate sins!Don’t let them control me.====Luk. 12:6 “What is the price of five sparrows— [maybe/0] two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who [says publicly here on earth 'I am a follower of Jesus', I, the Son of Manc will also acknowledge them as my followers in the presence of God’s angels.//acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.]9 But [those who deny me here on earth, saying they are not my disciple, I will also say that they are not my disciples in the presence of God’s angels.//anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.]16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a [very/0] fertile farm that produced fine crops. “[You lucky guy//My friend], you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you have [hoarded up for ourself/worked for]?’[See the footnote in the NET for this verse.]28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you [— you my friends with so little faith!!//Why do you have so little faith?][Here I let the word ‘faith’ stand. Maybe like this, following my normal pattern: “— you my friends who so weakly believe that the Father will help you.” Note that using ‘believe’ kind of requires that the translator add an object. For the sake of clarity, this is a good thing. Some readers will feel that this is going too far, but translators routinely do this in languages which don’t have any abstract nouns, or in situations like this for languages like Indonesian and English.]40 You also must be ready all the time, for [I—/0] the Son of Man, will come when least expected.”46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut [that evil//the] servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. [As the Scripture says,//0]54 Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a [rain/0] shower.’ And you are right.56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, [so why can't you figure out how to interpret the signs of the present time?!//but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5045680

NL-Day060 Leviticus 15-16; Psalm 18; Luke 12:1-32 02/22/2026

NL-Day060 Leviticus 15-16; Psalm 18; Luke 12:1-32 LEVITICUS 15-16:Yesterday we heard about sacrifices following the healing of skin diseases and after getting rid of house mildew. Chapter 15 is about defiling bodily discharges. Chapter 16 is about the Day of Atonement, and the chapter contains a translation problem in the word or name ‘azazel’. If you are interested in this problem, see the Translate notes in today’s episode notes. PSALM 18:This poem reveals David’s intimacy with God. Even though he frequently refers to himself, we see that God— and not himself, is the center of his spiritual life. LUKE 12a:Jesus definitely gained enemies by his teaching at the end of chapter 11, which was against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and religious experts. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 18:34 He trains my hands for battle;he strengthens my arm [so that I can draw back abronze bow of bronze//to draw a bronze bow.]41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.They even cried to [you, LORD, but you//the LORD, but he] refused to answer.====Luk. 12:6 “What is the price of five sparrows— [maybe/0] two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who [says publicly here on earth 'I am a follower of Jesus', I, the Son of Manc will also acknowledge them as my followers in the presence of God’s angels.//acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.]9 But [those who deny me here on earth, saying they are not my disciple, I will also say that they are not my disciples in the presence of God’s angels.//anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.]10 Anyone who speaks against [me,/0] the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a [very/0] fertile farm that produced fine crops. “[You lucky guy//My friend], you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you have [hoarded up for yourself/worked for]?’[See the footnote in the NET for this verse.]28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith [in Him]?[Here I let the word ‘faith’ stand. Maybe like this, following my normal pattern: “— you my friends who so weakly believe that the Father will help you.” Note that using ‘believe’ kind of requires that the translator add an object. Some readers will feel that this is going too far, but translators routinely do this in languages which don’t have any abstract nouns, or in situations like this for languages like Indonesian and English.40 You also must be ready all the time, for [I—/0] the Son of Man, will come when least expected.”46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut [that evil//the] servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. [As the Scripture says,//0]54 Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a [rain/0] shower.’ And you are right. 56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, [so why can't you figure out how to interpret the signs of the present time?!//but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5044444

NL-Day059 Leviticus 14; Psalm 17; Luke 11:29-54 02/22/2026

NL-Day059 Leviticus 14; Psalm 17; Luke 11:29-54 LEVITICUS 14:After hearing about the serious skin diseases yesterday, today we hear of the regulations if someone is healed from one. Note that these regulations were probably almost never done— until perhaps when Jesus caused a wave of men who had been healed to come with offerings. Note that our modern translations use either ‘serious skin disease’ or ‘contagious skin disease’ instead of calling these ‘leprosy’ as in older translations. Leprosy— also called Hanson’s Disease, is a very different disease from the ones described in Scripture. PSALM 17:This is one of David’s poems. Olsen quotes Spurgeon commenting on this psalm: “David would never have been [called] a man after God's own heart if he had not been a man of prayer. He was a master in the sacred art of supplication.” LUKE 11b:Yesterday in the first half of Luke 11, Jesus taught about prayer, and persistence in prayer, and taught refuting those who slandered him saying that he worked by the power of Satan. Jesus also taught that demons can leave on their own, but spiritual vacuum will result in more demons than before. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 11:2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray“Father, [PET: Our Father, may everyone honor You as the Holy God.//may your name be kept You always be regarded as holy.]May your Kingdom come soon.[As in many other places, 'name' is a metonymy for all of God. It is not just the name of God that Jesus wants us to hold as holy, but the whole Person of God as well.]21-22 [PET: “Satan can be illustrated as a strong home owner who— fully armed, always guards his house. He trusts in his weapons to keep all his possessions safe, and to defeat the One who opposes him— which is Me. But I'm stronger than he is! When I attack him, I will certainly defeat him, take all of his weapons, carry away his possessions and distribute them according to My will. //21 For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings. ]44 Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.” [So also your defiling corruption is hidden and contagious.//0] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5019947

NL-Day058 Leviticus 13; Psalm 16; Luke 11:1-28 02/22/2026

NL-Day058 Leviticus 13; Psalm 16; Luke 11:1-28 LEVITICUS 13:Yesterday in Lev. 11-12, we learned the animals considered clean and edible, and those that were considered unclean and detestable. Then we heard about the sacrifices for purification after a woman gives birth. PSALM 16:E.C. Olsen says that the Old Testament is like a sundial. “It is not difficult to read the hour marks on a sundial. Anybody can read them and at any time, but one can only tell time when the sun shines upon the sundial. Thus, while the Bible is the Word of God and can be read by all at any time, only the man who has received the Lord Jesus Christ is able to tell divine time by the Bible. It is only as the “Son” shines upon the pages of Scripture, particularly the Old Testament, that we are able to understand, to see and to appreciate that Christ is to be found on every page of Scripture.” With the Son shining on it, we see that this is a Messianic psalm. LUKE 11a:Yesterday in 10b, Jesus agreed with a law expert in the most important commandments, but taught the man the meaning of who is one's neighbor. And Jesus visited Martha and Mary. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 11:2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:“Father, [PET: Our Father, may everyone honor You as the Holy God.//may your name be kept holy//may You always be regarded as holy.]May your Kingdom come soon.[As in many other places, 'name' is a metonymy for all of God. It is not just the name of God that Jesus wants us to hold as holy, but the whole Person of God as well.]21-22 [PET: “Satan can be illustrated as a strong home owner who— fully armed, always guards his house. He trusts in his weapons to keep all his possessions safe, and to defeat the One who opposes him— which is Me. But I'm stronger than he is! When I attack him, I will certainly defeat him, take all of his weapons, carry away his possessions and distribute them according to My will. //21 For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.]44 Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.” [So also your defiling corruption is hidden and contagious.//0] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5016377

NL-Day057 Leviticus 11-12; Psalm 15; Luke 10:21-42 02/22/2026

NL-Day057 Leviticus 11-12; Psalm 15; Luke 10:21-42 LEVITICUS 11-12:Yesterday in Leviticus, Aaron and his sons started their work, and the glory of the Lord was revealed. But right after that Nadab and Abihu died because they offered an unauthorized kind of fire to the Lord. PSALM 15:This is a psalm showing the kind of people who will be welcomed into God's presence. LUKE 10:Yesterday in the first half of the chapter, Jesus sent the 72 disciples out ahead of Him with interesting instructions. A worker will be given his pay as he trusts in the Lord to provide it. And there were strong words for the villages which received most of Jesus' miracles. NLT Translation notes:3 Those who refuse to gossip or [to/0] harm their neighbors or [to/0] speak evil of their friends.====Luk. 10:5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6 If those who live there are [people who desire God's peace//peaceful], the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are [your eyes because of what you have been allowed to see.// “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen.] 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you [have been seeing//see], but they didn’t [get to//0] see it. And they longed to hear what you [have been hearing//hear], but they didn’t [get to//0] hear it.”29 The man wanted to justify his [life-style//actions], so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”36 “Now which of [those/these] three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”Then Jesus said, “Yes, now [you also//0] go and do the same.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5014161

NL-Day056 Leviticus 9-10; Psalm 14; Luke 10:1-24 02/22/2026

NL-Day056 Leviticus 9-10; Psalm 14; Luke 10:1-24 LEVITICUS 9-10:Yesterday in Leviticus, we heard more regulations for the priests (mainly), and then heard the story of the ordination ceremony that Moses performed for Aaron and his sons. PSALM 14:Psalm 14 can be classed as a messianic psalm because of v7. (However that is made clearer in other translations.) David shows us what God sees when He looks at this world. And that is why Paul quoted from this psalm in Romans 3. LUKE 10:In the second half of Luke 9, Jesus came down from the mountain to find a crowd, and he healed a demon possessed boy. Jesus predicted his death, and talked about the cost of being his disciples. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 14:7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?When the LORD restores his people,Jacob['s people/0] will shout with joy, and all Israel will rejoice.====Luk. 10:5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6 If those who live there are [people who desire God's peace//peaceful], the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you.23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are [your eyes because of what you have been allowed to see.// “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen.]24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you [have been seeing//see], but they didn’t [get to//0] see it. And they longed to hear what you [have been hearing//hear], but they didn’t [get to//0] hear it.”29 The man wanted to justify his [life-style//actions], so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”36 “Now which of [those/these] three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”Then Jesus said, “Yes, now [you also//0] go and do the same.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5014055

NL-Day055 Leviticus 7-8; Psalm 13; Luke 9:35-62 02/22/2026

NL-Day055 Leviticus 7-8; Psalm 13; Luke 9:35-62 LEVITICUS 7:Yesterday we heard about sin and guilt offerings and about the ordination offering for priests. In today’s reading, it sounds to me that for repayment offerings (repayment being a sin which would usually be intentional), the person offering the sacrifice would not be entitled to receive any of the meat. PSALM 13:David starts by crying out “How long?” and ends with a note of praise. We can be thankful for his difficult experiences which give us these Psalms. LUKE 9b:Yesterday we heard of Jesus sending out his disciples, and afterward the feeding of the 5,000. Peter rightly declared what position Jesus was filling. Jesus predicted his death. He said that some standing there would not die before seeing the Kingdom of God, and perhaps he meant his three disciples who saw the transfiguration, because His kingship was clearly foreshadowed there. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 9:18 One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “[According to the crowds, whose position am I ministering in?”/ /According to what the people are saying, whose position am I apparently filling?”//Who do people say I am?”][In English, the answer to “Who do people say I am?” would be “Jesus”— his name. This is a case where one has to use more words than the original to capture the same intent.]19 “Well,” they replied, “some say the position of John the Baptist, some say [taking Elijah's place//Elijah], and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” 20 Then he asked them, “But [whose place do you say I am filling?”//who do you say I am?”]21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone [about this//who he was]. 22 “[I, the//The] Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,”he said. “[I/He] will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. [I/He] will be killed, but on the third day [I/he] will be raised from the dead.”23 Then he said to the crowd, “[PET Everyone who wants to follow Me has to leave his own self interests and follow Me every day, thinking like this, I will keep following the Lord even to the point of death— even death by crucifixion!’//If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.]44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. [I, the Son of Man am//The Son of Man is] going to be betrayed into the hands of [my/his] enemies.”58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but [I,/0] the Son of Man, has no place even to lay [my/his] head.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5012764

NL-Day054 Leviticus 5-6; Psalm 12; Luke 9:1-36 02/22/2026

NL-Day054 Leviticus 5-6; Psalm 12; Luke 9:1-36 LEVITICUS 5-6:Yesterday we read about sacrifices given for unintentional sins and for peace offerings. And I said that we would hear about offerings for intentional sins today. PSALM 12:In Psalm 12, we hear of trusting in God's promises even in the midst of hard times. LUKE 9a:Yesterday to the woman healed of bleeding, Jesus said, “It is because you believe in me that you are healed.” And to Jairus, He said, “ Don’t be afraid. Just keep on believing in Me.” NLT Translation notes:Ps. 12:5 The LORD replies, “I have seen [your violence done againstthe helpless,//violence done to the helpless,]and I have heard the groans of the poor.6 [Your promises, O LORD,//The LORD’s promises] are pure,like silver refined in a furnace,purified seven times over.====Mrk. 9:18 One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “[According to the crowds, whose position am I ministering in?”/ /According to what the people are saying, whose position am I apparently filling?”//Who do people say I am?”][In English, the answer to “Who do people say I am?” would be “Jesus”— his name. This is a case where one has to use more words than the original to capture the same intent.]19 “Well,” they replied, “some say the position of John the Baptist, some say [taking Elijah's place//Elijah], and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”20 Then he asked them, “But [whose place do you say I am filling?”//who do you say I am?”]21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone [about this//who he was]. 22 “[I, the//The] Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,”he said. “[I/He] will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. [I/He] will be killed, but on the third day [I/he] will be raised from the dead.”23 Then he said to the crowd, “[PET Everyone who wants to follow Me has to leave his own self interests and follow Me every day, thinking like this, I will keep following the Lord even to the point of death— even death by crucifixion!’//If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.] 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, [I,] the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when [I return in my//he returns in his] glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. [I, the Son of Man am//The Son of Man is] going to be betrayed into the hands of [my/his] enemies.”58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but [I,/0] the Son of Man, has no place even to lay [my/his] head.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5012338

NL-Day053 Leviticus 3-4; Psalm 11; Luke 8:22-56 02/15/2026

NL-Day053 Leviticus 3-4; Psalm 11; Luke 8:22-56 LEVITICUS 3-4:Yesterday we heard about burnt offerings and grain offerings. Andrew Bonar states about Leviticus:“There is no book in the whole compass of that inspired Volume which the Holy Spirit has given us, that contains more of the very words of God than Leviticus. It is God that is the direct speaker in almost every page; His gracious words are recorded in the form wherein they were uttered.” Note this in our reading in Leviticus today: By and large, the sacrificial system was set up to forgive unintentional sins. (Some small exceptions will be noted in tomorrow’s reading in Leviticus.) It is good to draw a distinction— as the book of Hebrews does, between unintentional and intentional sins. Each of us should feel uncomfortable, because each of us can look back and remember sins we committed intentionally. Let us make the firm commitment to never trample upon our Savior’s kindness by sinning intentionally. But we can praise the Lord for this verse spoken by Paul in Acts 13:38-39: “Therefore let it be known to you, brothers [and sisters//0], that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by this one everyone who believes is justified from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you.” (NET) PSALM 11:This is a song of trust in the Lord. LUKE 8b:Yesterday we read the parable of the sower, or different kinds of soil. Jesus taught about the importance of hearing and doing what is in God's Word, and that was echoed again when his mother and brothers came to see him. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 8:7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up [with the tender young plants and choked them out.//it and choked out the tender plants.] 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, [“You people have ears to hear with, don't you?! Well then, listen and understand!”//Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.][Seed is a collective noun, therefore plural!]9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets a of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled [where God said//0]:‘When they look, they won’t really see.When they hear, they won’t understand.’25 Then he asked them, “[Whatever happened to the idea of your believing in Me?!”//Where is your faith?]The disciples were terrified and amazed. “[What kind of man is this?!//Who is this man?]” they asked each other.“When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”“[Batalion/Legion],” he replied, for he was filled with many demons.32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.[0/So] Jesus gave them permission.[The Greek ‘kai’ (and) is frequently left untranslated on purpose. I definitely don't like the addition of a 'So' logical connector here.]34 When the herdsmen saw [what happened//it], they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they [all became afraid//were afraid].48 “[0//Daughter],” he said to her, “[You are now healed because you believe fully in Me.//your faith has made you well.] Go in peace.”[Jesus does call her 'daughter' in Greek. But people can often get the wrong impression from that. One common wrong implication would be that this woman was younger than Jesus. If the translator changes to something like 'woman', then there are other problems with wrong implications. Other options I have thought of sound unnatural. For naturalness sake, it sounds best and most natural to me to just leave the word out.]50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. [Just keep believing fully in Me//Just have faith], and she will be healed.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5011433

NL-Day052 Leviticus 1-2; Psalm 10; Luke 8:1-25 02/15/2026

NL-Day052 Leviticus 1-2; Psalm 10; Luke 8:1-25 LEVITICUS 1-2:Yesterday at the end of Exodus, the worship in the completed and dedicated tabernacle was started. Leviticus is a continuation of Exodus, in the same way that Exodus is a continuation of Genesis. Leviticus also starts with the word ‘And’. The title once again comes from Latin Vulgate which was based on the name in the Septuagint. So the name does not come from the Hebrew. Because of the name, many think that this book is a handbook only for the priests. Not so. Wenham (from Constable) states: “It would be wrong, however, to describe Leviticus simply as a manual for priests. It is equally, if not more, concerned with the part the laity should play in worship. Many of the regulations explain what the layman should sacrifice. They tell him when to go to the sanctuary, what to bring, and what he may expect the priest to do when he arrives. Most of the laws apply to all Israel: only a few sections specifically concern the priests alone, e.g., chs. 21—22. The lay orientation of the legislation is particularly noticeable in ch. 23, where the whole emphasis lies on the days that must be observed as days of sabbath rest.” Many New Testament concepts are foreshadowed in this book, such as the seriousness of sin in God’s sight, the necessity of atonement of sin, the holiness of God, and the necessity of a mediator between God and Man. H.C. Mears says, “In Genesis we see humanity ruined, in Exodus, humanity redeemed, and in Leviticus, humanity worshipping.” One can’t read this book without being thankful to Christ Jesus for His sacrifice which fulfills the incredibly detailed laws about sacrifice for us. PSALM 10:E.C. Olsen says this Psalm has “a triple theme: the silence of God, the despair of the humble, and the pride of the wicked.” This Psalm doesn't give us all the answers, but we know God understands how we feel about these things. LUKE 8:At the end of Luke 7 we read about how Jesus was anointed by a sinful woman, and how Jesus answered the silent criticism of Simon, the pharisee. NLT Translation notes:Lev. 1:12 Then [you/0] cut the animal in pieces, and the priests will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar.[Modern readers tend to think that the priests did all the messy bloody work. Not so!]====Ps. 10:2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.[Why not let/Let] them be caught in the evil they plan for others[?!/.]4 The wicked are too proud to seek [You, O God!// God.]They seem to think that [You are dead!//God is dead.][Compare with CEV on using 2nd person here.]8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,waiting to murder innocent people [(like me)!//.]10 Their helpless victims [(like me)//0] are crushed;they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.12 Arise, O L ORD !Punish the wicked, O God!Do not ignore [us helpless people/the helpless people]!13 Why do the wicked get away with despising [You, O//0] God?They think, “God will never call us to account.”14 But you [really do//0] see the trouble and grief they cause.You take note of it and [will/0] punish them.The helpless put their trust in you.You [really do] defend the orphans[!/.]15 [Oh, break//Break] the arms of these wicked, evil people!Go after them until the last one is destroyed.17 LORD , you [really do//0] know the hopes of the helpless!.Surely you will hear [our/their] cries and comfort [us/them].====Luk. 8:7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up [with the tender young plants and choked them out.//it and choked out the tender plants.] 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, [“You people have ears to hear with, don't you?! Well then, listen and understand!”//Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.][Seed is a collective noun, therefore plural!]9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 Hereplied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets a of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others sothat the Scriptures might be fulfilled [where God said//0]:‘When they look, they won’t really see.When they hear, they won’t understand.’25 Then he asked them, “[Whatever happened to the idea of your believing in Me?!”//Where is your faith?]The disciples were terrified and amazed. “[What kind of man is this?!//Who is this man?]” they asked each other.“When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”“[Batalion/Legion],” he replied, for he was filled with many demons.32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.[0/So] Jesus gave them permission.[The Greek ‘kai’ (and) is frequently left untranslated on purpose. I definitely don't like the addition of a 'So' logical connector here.]34 When the herdsmen saw [what happened//it], they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they [all we overcome with fear//all became afraid//were afraid].48 “[0//Daughter],” he said to her, “[You are now healed because you believe fully in Me.//your faith has made you well.] Go in peace.”[Jesus does call her 'daughter' in Greek. But people can often get the wrong impression from that. One common wrong implication would be that this woman was younger than Jesus. If the translator changes to something like 'woman', then there are other problems with wrong implications. Other options I have thought of sound unnatural. For naturalness sake, it sounds best and most natural to me to just leave the word out.]50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. [Just keep believing fully in Me//Just have faith], and she will be healed.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5011380

NL-Day051 Exodus 40; Psalm 9; Luke 7:20-50 02/15/2026

NL-Day051 Exodus 40; Psalm 9; Luke 7:20-50 EXODUS 40:Yesterday we read about Bezalel making the outside articles for worship— like the altar for burnt offerings. There was a listing of materials used, and then we heard of the making of the priests' clothes— all according to how Moses was instructed by God. And Moses inspected everything and blessed the people. The stage is set for the start of worship according to God's instructions. PSALM 9:Psalm 9 is a song celebrating God sitting on his throne and judging justly. LUKE 7b:Yesterday we read about Jesus healing a favorite slave of a Roman officer and the raising of a widow's son from death. We start today’s rereading where Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 7:2 At that time [a/the] highly valued slave of a Roman officer a was sick and near death.9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t [found someone fully believing//seen faith] like this in all Israel!”15 Then the dead [young man//boy] sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.22 [He//Then he] told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and [0/the] Good News is being preached to the poor.25 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found [instead/0] in palaces.26 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when [God said,//they say,]‘ Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,and he will prepare your way before you.’33 For John the Baptist didn’t [join with you in//spend his time] eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’34 [I, the//The] Son of Man, on the other hand, [join you in//0] feasts and drinks, and you say, [I am// ‘He’s] a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner! [(And he would tell her to stop!)//0]”47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven [only a//0] little shows only little love.”49 The men at the table said among themselves, “[What kind of man is this//Who is this man] , that he goes around forgiving sins?!”[The answer to “Who is this man” is “Jesus.” It is more natural in English to make this rhetorical question as I have here.]50 And Jesus said to the woman, “[You are saved because you fully believe in me.//Your faith has saved you] [. Go/; go] in peace.”[In English, 'faith' has so many fuzzy meanings, that it makes a verse like this very unclear. Jesus did NOT use 'faith' to mean such things as 'inner fortitude', 'vague hope', 'blind trust', denominational faith, or many other meanings. In Greek, 'faith' is simply the noun form of 'believe'.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5010466

NL-Day050 Exodus 38-39; Psalm 8; Luke 7:1-35 02/15/2026

NL-Day050 Exodus 38-39; Psalm 8; Luke 7:1-35 EXODUS 38-39:Yesterday we heard of the building of the tabernacle, the Covenant Box, and the other furniture of the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. Everything was done precisely as God had described before. The actor ‘he’ as we start this chapter is again Bezalel. PSALM 8:This psalm is quoted in Hebrews 2 and is frequently misunderstood. “Son of man” does not refer to Jesus in this Psalm or in Hebrews 2, and the NLT is correct in not using that term here. This is a psalm of praise for the awesomeness of God, expressing amazement at the place of _mankind_ in God's creation. LUKE 7a:In chapter 6 we read the Beatitudes, and Jesus taught about loving others and not judging them. Jesus taught using the figures of trees and their fruit, and building houses upon a rock foundation. One of the most frequently misquoted verses in Scripture was included in yesterday’s portion of Luke 6, “Do not judge others and you will not be judged.” But if we take that to the extreme, we would not be able to recognize good and bad people, as Jesus talks about in verse 45. And there are many other places where Christians are called upon to make judgments— especially those of us in leadership. But the key would be not bringing judgment against others if we might be found to be guilty of the same sin. NLT Translation notes:Exo. 38:26 This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax [was/is] one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.====Ps. 8:1 O LORD , our Lord, [how your majestic glory is visible everywhere on earth!//O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth.][This is a metonymy on the name of the Lord. (Meaning that 'name' stands for the whole person of God, like 'white house' can stand for the current USA government administration..) Most of the time such metonymy simply refers to the whole person of the Lord, not just his name. In some places it can refer to the Lord’s reputation— as NET translates here. The 'Lord’s name' metonymy is everywhere in Scripture. Although English clearly uses metonymy, we don't so often use it for 'name'. Now that I think of it, a good way to translate this line would be, “O Lord, our Lord, your glorious handwriting is visible everywhere on earth!”]4 what are mere mortals that you should think aboutthem, human beings that you should care for them?5 Yet you, [O God,//0] made them only a little lower than[Yourself/God] and crowned them with glory and honor.9 O LORD , our Lord, [how your majestic glory isvisible everywhere on earth!//O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth.]====Luk.7:2 At that time [a/the] highly valued slave of a Roman officer a was sick and near death.9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t [found someone fully believing//seen faith] like this in all Israel!”15 Then the dead [young man//boy] sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.22 [He//Then he] told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and [0/the] Good News is being preached to the poor.33 For John the Baptist didn’t [join with you in//spend his time] eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34 [I, the//The] Son of Man, on the other hand, [join you in//0] feasts and drinks, and you say, [I am// ‘He’s] a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner! [(And he would tell her to stop!)//0]”47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven [only a//0] little shows only little love.”49 The men at the table said among themselves, “[What kind of man is this//Who is this man] , that he goes around forgiving sins?!”[The answer to “Who is this man” is “Jesus.” It is more natural in English to make this rhetorical question as I have here.]50 And Jesus said to the woman, “[You are saved because you fully believe in me.//Your faith has saved you] [. Go/; go] in peace.”[In English, 'faith' has so many fuzzy meanings, that it makes a verse like this very unclear. Jesus did NOT use 'faith' to mean such things as 'inner fortitude', 'vague hope', 'blind trust', denominational faith, or many other meanings. In Greek, 'faith' is simply the noun form of 'believe'.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5009880

NL-Day049 Exodus 36-37; Psalm 7; Luke 6:27-49 02/15/2026

NL-Day048 Exodus 34-35; Psalm 6; Luke 6:1-31 02/15/2026

NL-Day047 Exodus 32-33; Psalm 5; Luke 5 02/15/2026

NL-Day047 Exodus 32-33; Psalm 5; Luke 5 EXODUS 32-33:Yesterday we read about the plans for the incense altar, and about the making of incense and anointing oil. We heard also of God's choosing and giving ability to Bezalel and Oholiab for making everything required in the worship of God. And God emphasized the importance of keeping the Sabbath as a covenant responsibility. PSALM 5:Psalm 5 is a song for early morning (when arising from a night of sleep). Erling Olsen comments that this Psalm says that God hates or detests evil doers. He says that this stands in stark contrast to pictures of God that make him only capable of the sentiment of love. We as God's created beings, have no right to criticize Him or remake him in an image we find more comfortable. God who created us has all emotions, and is just— possessing the right to judge his created beings. LUKE 5:Yesterday we read of Jesus being rejected in his home town, of healings, and casting out demons. He refused to have his identity proclaimed by demons, and silenced them. And He refused to stay in one town, but went around preaching in the whole area. NLT Translation notes:22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, [ [PET] “I know that you have doubts in your hearts about what I said!23 Of course it was hard for you to accept it when I said to this paralyzed man, ‘I've forgiven your sins.’ Will it be easier for you to accept if I say to him, ‘Get up, pick up your mattress and go home’?24 But by saying this, I'm proving to you that I— as the Son of Man, have the right to forgive the sin of man!”//“Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.][This was a very difficult passage for us to translate in both languages I have translated for. For one thing, it is not physically difficult to pronounce either statement. As to the answer to Jesus’ rhetorical question, I do NOT buy the interpretation found in some translations that it was easier for Jesus to forgive the man’s sins because it was something that could not be physically seen. It was hard for Jesus to say both statements— hard in the sense that both statements require the power of God. Remember, Jesus knows that He will go to the cross in order to purchase forgiveness for this man— and for us. Jesus chose the order of his statements, not based on difficulty, but to prove an important point to everyone, and especially his critics.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5006755

046: JoySightings: The private car, and Rising above the clouds 02/08/2026

NL-Day046 Exodus 30-31; Psalm 4; Luke 4:14-44 02/08/2026

NL-Day045 Exodus 29; Psalm 3; Luke 4:1-30 02/08/2026

NL-Day044 Exodus 27-28; Psalm 2; Luke 3 02/08/2026

NL-Day043 Exodus 25-26; Psalm 1; Luke 2:25-52 02/03/2026

NL-Day043 Exodus 25-26; Psalm 1; Luke 2:25-52 EXODUS 25-26:Yesterday we read the commands for the Israelites to be good neighbors and to practice justice. And we heard the requirement for all Israelites to celebrate three festivals, and God gave promises of how He would bring them into the land. Then we read the story of how Moses led the people in accepting the covenant. Note how important the sacrificial blood was in this ceremony. The Israelites promised to obey the covenant. Moses told them to wait for him, then followed God's call to go up to the summit of the mountain, where he stayed for 40 days and nights. PSALMS 1:Job— as I said before, is a book of sophisticated poetry, one that uses literary devices and makes reference to a well-developed mythology. And we find a book that defies simple analysis. At the conclusion of Job, some of you may be feeling that some basic questions were not really answered. Some of you may be saying, “But I have suffered injustice, and God has not responded to me the way he responded to Job at the end of the book.” To those of you, I say that we can learn several things from Job, and one would be that there are many things God takes into account that we do not know about. And secondly, we can be sure that God is just and fair, and in the final analysis— when we reach heaven, all issues of justice will be resolved. And I also say this: I hope you continue to read the Bible with us this year, because we will find more answers about God’s sovereignty and justice as we go on. The book of Psalms was the nation of Israel's hymnbook. The poems were compiled over time, with most of the first half by King David. The Psalms fall into these categories: Instruction, Praise, Thanksgiving,Penitence, Trust, Distress,Aspiration, History, and Prophecy. Under the prophecy category, the Psalms talk of Jesus' prophetic office, his priestly office, his kingly office, his sufferings, and his resurrection. (For details, see HC Mears.) LUKE 2b:Yesterday we read of Jesus' birth, of the angels announcement to the shepherds, and of Jesus being presented in the temple— which is where we pick up the story today. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 2:30 [For I have now//I have] seen your salvation,31 which you have prepared for all people.32 He is a light to reveal [You/God] to the nations,and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/4997691

NL-Day042 Exodus 23-24; Job 42; Luke 2:1-35 02/03/2026

NL-Day041 Exodus 21-22; Job 41; Luke 1:39-80 02/03/2026

NL-Day041 Exodus 21-22; Job 41; Luke 1:39-80 EXODUS 21-22:Yesterday we read about the awesome and fearful way the Lord revealed himself at Mount Sinai to the Israelites. (Remember that for when we come to Hebrews 13.) And God gave the 10 Commandments. JOB 41:God continues to confront and challenge Job, asking questions revealing God's power compared to human weakness. A note about Leviathan in this chapter. Leviathan can be compared to a sea crocodile. The identification of Leviathan is disputed, ranging from an earthly creature to a mythical sea monster in ancient literature. LUKE 1b:Yesterday, in a very formal prologue, Luke stated his purpose. Then we read of Zechariah's unbelief, and how Mary accepted the role God had given to her. She said: 38 “ I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” NLT Translation notes:18 “Now suppose two men quarrel, and one hits the other with a stone or fist, and the injured [man/person] does not die but is confined to bed.[I can’t stand it when, in the name of gender sensitivity, ‘man’ gets changed to ‘person’. In this case, it is already clear that it is ‘two men’!]27 And if a man knocks out [a/the] tooth [from/of] his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.31 “You must be my holy people. Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals. Throw [that/it] to the dogs.====Luk. 1:61 They said to her, “[But//There is] no one among your relatives who has that name.”[See the note in NET about the use of ‘But’ here.]67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and [{spoke/gave} this prophecy//prophesied]:80 [John grew up//And the child grew] and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/4996052

NL-Day040 Exodus 19-20; Job 40; Luke 1:1-45 02/02/2026

NL-Day040 Exodus 19-20; Job 40; Luke 1:1-45 EXODUS 19-20:Yesterday we heard of God satisfying the thirst of the Israelites by commanding Moses to hit a rock. Israel defeated the Amalekites. And Jethro brought Moses’ wife and sons to him and gave him good advice. Note that in most English translations, God often talks of Himself in what we might term the royal fashion— as ‘The LORD’, and then as ‘He’ (instead of ‘I’, and ‘Me’). (The capital letters L O R D indicate that the Hebrew actually has his name, Yahweh.) In many of the world’s languages, it is ungrammatical to speak of oneself in the third person, so translations into those languages must use ‘I, the Lord’ and ‘Me’. Even in English it is highly unusual for anyone to use the royal form. So if you are following along in the NLT, you will notice that I regularly alter the text so that God speaks of himself in the first person. I do this for the sake of naturalness and clarity for those who are listening. JOB 40:Yesterday God continued to challenge Job with questions too hard for humans to answer. In today’s chapter, starting at verse 15, we read about the Behemoth. The GNT footnote tells that some identify this as a hippopotamus. But the description of Behemoth's tail in verse 17 doesn't fit with a hippopotamus. Maybe a sea crocodile would be a better choice? But they don’t eat grass. It is perhaps better to simply say that the Behemoth and Leviathan are legendary or mythical sea creatures. LUKE 1:Yesterday we finished 2nd Peter with his advising us to get ready for the Lord's return. Luke— as we will find out in other NT books, was the physician who was a traveling companion of Paul. His goal was to write a well-researched and ordered account of Jesus' life— as he says in his formal prologue. Robert Maddox states:“[Luke] writes to reassure the Christians of his day that their faith in Jesus is no aberration, but the authentic goal towards which God’s ancient dealings with Israel were driving.” More Muslims have become followers of Christ through reading Luke’s Gospel than from reading other three, because of its emphases. Luke is the longest book of the NT, and if we put Luke’s two books together, they form 27% of the NT. Luke wrote to Theophilus, who may have been a Roman dignitary, but since the name means “Lover of God” Luke may have intended his book for all of us who love God. Luke's explanations show that he was writing to the Greeks, and so he appropriately brings out that Christ came for all mankind— Jews and Gentiles. Luke also highlights the roles played by women. A major example is the material from his interviews with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Luke includes more poetry than the other Gospels, tells more about Jesus praying, and chronicles Jesus' parables and teaching. NLT Translation notes:Exo. 19:7 “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. [I, the LORD//The LORD] will not let you go unpunished if you misuse [my/his] name.11 For in six days [I//the LORD] made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day [I/he] rested. That is why [I, the LORD,//the LORD] blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land [that I,//0] the L ORD your God [am/is] giving you.[It is a feature of Hebrew that God frequently uses the honorific form where He refers to Himself in the third person. This is ungrammatical in many of the world’s languages, and is rather borderline ungrammatical even in English. Note the example in Job below.]==== Job 4:9 Are you as strong as [Me//God]? Can you thunder with a voice like [mine/his]? ==== Luk. 1:2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among [0//us from] the early disciples. Luk. 1:38 “ I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”61 They said to her, “[But//There is] no one among your relatives who has that name.”[See the note in NET about the use of ‘But’ here.]67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and [{spoke/gave} this prophecy//prophesied]:80 [John grew up//And the child grew] and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/4995206

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