Day 136 of 365

Ruth 4:1–22

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, "Come over here, friend, and sit down!" He turned aside, and sat down.

2 He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." They sat down.

3 He said to the near kinsman, "Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.

4 I thought to disclose it to you, saying, 'Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you." He said, "I will redeem it."

5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance."

6 The near kinsman said, "I can't redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can't redeem it."

7 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the way of attestation in Israel.

8 So the near kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." He took off his shoe.

9 Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, "You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day."

11 All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.

12 Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give you of this young woman."

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

14 The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer; and let his name be famous in Israel.

15 He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."

16 Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and looked after him.

17 The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,

19 and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab,

20 and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon,

21 and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,

22 and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

1 Sam 1:1–28

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:

2 and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the Lord, were there.

4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6 Her rival taunted her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7 As he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she taunted her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drank. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the Lord's temple.

10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly.

11 She vowed a vow, and said, "Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head."

12 It happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli saw her mouth.

13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

14 Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you."

15 Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the Lord.

16 Do not count your handmaid as a worthless woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my distress and my anguish."

17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him."

18 She said, "Let your handmaid find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression wasn't sad any more.

19 They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

20 It happened, when the time had come, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the Lord."

21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, "Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and stay there forever."

23 Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the Lord establish his word." So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three year old bull, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the Lord's house in Shiloh. The child was young.

25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.

26 She said, "Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of him.

28 Therefore also I have granted him to the Lord. As long as he lives he is granted to the Lord." He worshiped the Lord there.

John 5:15–35

15 The man went away, and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this cause the Jewish leaders persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is still working, so I am working, too."

18 For this cause therefore the Jewish leaders sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 Jesus therefore answered them, "Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.

20 For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires.

22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,

23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

24 "Truly, truly, I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

25 Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God's voice; and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.

27 He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

28 Do not marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice,

29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the One who sent me.

31 "If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.

32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.

33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.

35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

Ps 59:1–17

1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Lord.

4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!

5 You, Lord God of Hosts, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.

7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?"

8 But you, Lord, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

11 Do not kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.

14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren't satisfied.

16 But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.

17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.