Day 302 of 365

Jer 45:1–47:7

45:1 The message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

45:2 "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, Baruch:

45:3 'You said, "Woe is me now! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest."'"

45:4 "You shall tell him, 'Thus says the Lord: "Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land.

45:5 Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for, behold, I will bring disaster on all flesh, says the Lord; but your life will I give to you for a reward in all places where you go."'"

46:1 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

46:2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.

46:3 "Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!

46:4 Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.

46:5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled in haste, and do not look back: terror is on every side," says the Lord.

46:6 "Do not let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.

46:7 Who is this who rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?

46:8 Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he says, 'I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.'

46:9 Go up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.

46:10 For that day is of the Lord, the Lord of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, the Lord of hosts, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

46:11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain do you use many medicines; there is no healing for you.

46:12 The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together."

46:13 The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.

46:14 "Declare in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say, 'Stand forth, and prepare; for the sword has devoured around you.'

46:15 Why are your strong ones swept away? They did not stand, because the Lord pushed them.

46:16 He made many to stumble, yes, they fell one on another: and they said, 'Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our birth, from the oppressing sword.'

46:17 They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.'"

46:18 "As I live," says the King, "whose name is the Lord of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

46:19 You daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.

46:20 Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come, it has come.

46:21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they did not stand: for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.

46:22 The sound of it shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.

46:23 They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, though it can't be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

46:24 The daughter of Egypt shall be disappointed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north."

46:25 "The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him:

46:26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old,' says the Lord.

46:27 'But do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

46:28 Do not be afraid, O Jacob my servant,' says the Lord; 'for I am with you: for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you; but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.'"

47:1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before that Pharaoh struck Gaza.

47:2 "Thus says the Lord: 'Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is therein, the city and those who dwell therein; and the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail.

47:3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers do not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;

47:4 because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains: for the Lord will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

47:5 Baldness has come on Gaza; Ashkelon is brought to nothing, the remnant of their valley: how long will you cut yourself?

47:6 You sword of the Lord, "how long will it be before you be quiet? Put up yourself into your scabbard; rest, and be still."

47:7 How can you be quiet, since the Lord has given you a command? Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore, there has he appointed it.'"

Phil 1:16–30

16 The former insincerely proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether out of false motives or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I do not make known what I will choose.

23 But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

24 Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

26 that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

28 and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

30 having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.

Job 27:1–15

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 "As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.

3 (For the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

4 surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

6 I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

7 "Let my enemy be as the wicked. Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

8 For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

11 I will teach you about the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

13 "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.

14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 Those who remain of him shall be buried in death. His widows shall make no lamentation.