Day 189 of 365

2 Kgs 6:1–33

1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See now, the place where we dwell before you is too small for us.

2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and every man take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell." He answered, "Go!"

3 One said, "Please be pleased to go with your servants." He answered, "I will go."

4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water. Then he cried, and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."

6 The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.

7 He said, "Take it." So he put out his hand and took it.

8 Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place."

9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that you not pass such a place; for the Syrians are coming down there."

10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 The heart of the king of Syria was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, "Won't you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?"

12 One of his servants said, "No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."

13 He said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him." It was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan."

14 Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night, and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

16 He answered, "Do not be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

17 Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, please open his eyes, that he may see." The Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." He led them to Samaria.

20 It happened, when they had come into Samaria, that Elisha said, "Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." The Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, "My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?"

22 He answered, "You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."

23 He prepared great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.

24 It happened after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

25 There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!"

27 He said, "If the Lord doesn't help you, from where could I help you? From of the threshing floor, or from the winepress?"

28 The king said to her, "What ails you?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'

29 So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him;' and she has hidden her son."

30 It happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall); and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his flesh.

31 Then he said, "God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stay on him this day."

32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, "Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him?"

33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, "Behold, this disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?"

Acts 13:35–52

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'

36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was placed with his fathers, and saw decay.

37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.

38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,

39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.

40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the Prophets:

41 'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.'"

42 So when they went out they begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of the Lord.

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.

46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'"

48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

49 The Lord's word was spread abroad throughout all the region.

50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

52 The disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.

Ps 81:1–16

1 Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

3 Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I did not know.

6 "I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah." Selah.

8 "Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

9 There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

10 I am the Lord, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But my people did not listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

13 Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock."