Day 201 of 365

2 Kgs 25:1–30

1 It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it around it.

2 So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

4 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city around it); and the king went by the way of the Arabah.

5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

6 Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment on him.

7 They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

8 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem.

9 He burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burnt he with fire.

10 All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

11 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the residue of the people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude.

12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

13 The Chaldeans broke up the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord and the bases and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, and carried the brass pieces to Babylon.

14 They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered.

15 The captain of the guard took away the fire pans, the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver.

16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was on it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital around it, all of brass: and like to these had the second pillar with network.

18 The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:

19 and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and five men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city.

20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

21 The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.

22 As for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor.

23 Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

24 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, "Do not be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you."

25 But it happened in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family came, and ten men with him, and struck Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah.

26 All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

27 It happened in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

28 and he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,

29 and changed his prison garments. Jehoiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life:

30 and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.

Acts 20:1–38

1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

2 When he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece.

3 When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

5 But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas.

6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.

8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together.

9 A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.

10 Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him."

11 When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed.

12 They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.

13 But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land.

14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene.

15 Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we landed at Samos, and the day after we came to Miletus.

16 For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the church.

18 When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,

19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

22 Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;

23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.

24 But I make my life an account of nothing precious to myself, so that I may finish my race, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

25 "Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the Kingdom, will see my face no more.

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men,

27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

28 Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

32 Now I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

33 I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing.

34 You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

37 They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,

38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Ps 86:1–17

1 Hear, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

3 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

6 Hear, Lord, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

8 There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

9 All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

11 Teach me your way, Lord. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forevermore.

13 For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

14 God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they do not hold regard for you before them.

15 But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid.

17 Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Lord, have helped me, and comforted me.