Day 230 of 365

2 Chr 30:1–31:21

30:1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.

30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.

30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

30:4 The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.

30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

30:6 So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, "You children of Israel, turn again to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

30:7 Do not be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against the Lord, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see.

30:8 Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves to the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

30:9 For if you turn again to the Lord, your brothers and your children shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him."

30:10 So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun: but they ridiculed them, and mocked them.

30:11 Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

30:12 Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of the Lord.

30:13 Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

30:14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

30:15 Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.

30:16 They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites.

30:17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord.

30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord pardon everyone

30:19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even if they aren't clean according to the purification of the sanctuary."

30:20 The Lord listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

30:21 The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments to the Lord.

30:22 Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of the Lord. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

30:23 The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and they kept another seven days with gladness.

30:24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

30:25 All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.

30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.

31:4 Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of the Lord.

31:5 As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

31:6 The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

31:8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

31:10 Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for the Lord has blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store."

31:11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them.

31:12 They brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second.

31:13 Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of God's house.

31:14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of the Lord, and the most holy things.

31:15 Under him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well to the great as to the small:

31:16 besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house of the Lord, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions;

31:17 and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions;

31:18 and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness.

31:19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites.

31:20 Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.

31:21 In every work that he began in the service of God's house, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

1 John 1:1–2:14

1:1 That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life

1:2 (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us);

1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1:4 And we write these things, that our joy may be fulfilled.

1:5 This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth.

1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

2:1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

2:3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

2:4 One who says, "I know him," and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

2:5 But whoever keeps his word, God's love has truly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:

2:6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

2:7 Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard.

2:8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines.

2:9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.

2:10 He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

2:11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

2:12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.

2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Ps 98:1–9

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand, and his holy arm, have worked salvation for him.

2 The Lord has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody.

6 With trumpets and sound of the ram's horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

7 Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.

8 Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.

9 Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.