Podcasts about christ jesus jesus christ

1SAMUEL 15:Jonathan saved the day! He and his faithful armor bearer kind of took a leaf out of Gideon's play book and agreed on a sign that would show what God wanted them to do— although they didn't ask for confirmation like Gideon did. They took the adventure God set before them and won an amazing victory, and God worked with them by causing panic among the Philistines. After lapses and dithering at the beginning, Saul went on to be a great military leader. Note that Ahijah, the priest, is Eli's grandson. PSALM 99:Take off your sandals, because this ground is holy! Enjoy this psalm proclaiming God’s majesty and holiness. ROMANS 5—6:4:God’s ways are always counter-intuitive for humans. One would think that if one is right with God and at peace with him, that everything would be smooth sailing from then on, with health, wealth, and prosperity. God shows his love for us by treating us like sons and heirs— meaning, He gives us problems and trials to cause us to grow and better reflect his glory. There is a wonderful side to Christ's dying for us and being resurrected: He lives now and is deeply involved in continuing to help us. At the end of the chapter Paul draws important comparisons and contrasts between Adam and Christ. GNT Translation notes: [I have modified the GNT so that this whole psalm will be understood as speaking to God, as does the CEV.]Ps. 99:1 [You, Lord, are king//The Lord is king],and the people tremble.[You sit on your//He sits on his] throne above the winged creatures,and the earth shakes.2 [You, O Lord, are//The Lord is] mighty in Zion;[You are//he is] supreme over all the nations.3 Everyone will praise [your//his] great and majestic name.[You are holy!//Holy is he!]…6 Moses and Aaron were [your//his] priests,and Samuel was one who prayed to [You//him];they called to [You, Lord, and You//the Lord, and he] answered them.7 [You//He] spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;they obeyed the laws and commands that [You//he] gave them.====Rom. 5:1 Now that we have been put right with God through [believing//faith], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 He has brought us by [means if our believing//faith] into this experience of God's grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God's glory! 20 Law was introduced [in order that people might realize how greatly they have sinned//in order to increase [mankind’s awareness of] wrongdoing]; [But as people sinned more and more, God's grace became even more abundant.//but where sin increased, God's grace increased much more. ]21 [NLT So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.//So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God's grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. NLT Translation notes:1Sam. 15:27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of [Samuel’s//his] robe.====Rom. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by [believing//faith], we have peace with God because of what [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord has done for us.2 Because of our [believing//faith], Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.3 We can [even] rejoice[ 0//, too,] when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.7 [PET: Now it is very difficult for someone to sacrifice himself to save someone else— even if that person is good and honest. But a person might sacrifice himself and die to save his close friend.//Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.]9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation [at the final judgment].10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved [because God’s Son now lives and watches over us!//through the life of his Son [now that we are his friends].]13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin [(as such)] because there was not yet any law to break.17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ].18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone [who believes].19 Because one [man/person]* disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other [Man/person] obeyed God, many will be made righteous.[*This is gender sensitivity taken to the extreme in the NLT! And it is inconsistent, since previously in verse 15 they used ‘man’ to translate ‘anthropos’.]20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they [are/were]. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord.

1SAMUEL 14:Hostilities with the Philistines heated up to full war, and Israel was badly outnumbered. The Israelites had been kept down so much that they were basically unarmed for war. Saul and his son's army dwindled down from 3,000 men to only 600, and Samuel doesn't show up for the important before-war sacrifice. PSALM 98:Another favorite psalm! I love psalms where things like oceans, rivers, or trees clap their hands. I recommend this psalm for anyone who feels that we can only worship God with the good old hymns. ROMANS 5:Every little detail in the story of Abraham is important. Note in yesterday's reading that Abraham “figured his body was as good as _dead_,” and “Abraham believed in the God who _brings the dead back to life_.” Then we read that we must “believe in [God]— the one who _raised Jesus our Lord from the dead_.” And we will find a new concept related to this theme about death and resurrection later. GNT Translation notes:Rom. 5:1 Now that we have been put right with God through [believing//faith], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 He has brought us by [believing//faith] into this experience of God's grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God's glory! NLT Translation notes:Rom. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by [believing//faith], we have peace with God because of what [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our [believing//faith], Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.3 We can [even] rejoice[ 0//, too,] when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.7 [PET: Now it is very difficult for someone to sacrifice himself to save someone else— even if that person is good and honest. But a person might sacrifice himself and die to save his close friend.//Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.]9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation [at the final judgment]. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved [because God’s Son now lives and watches over us!//through the life of his Son [now that we are his friends].] 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin [(as such)] because there was not yet any law to break.17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ].18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone [who believes]. 19 Because one [man/person]* disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other [Man/person] obeyed God, many will be made righteous.[*This is gender sensitivity taken to the extreme in the NLT! And it is inconsistent, since previously in verse 15 they used ‘man’ to translate ‘anthropos’.]20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they [are/were]. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord.

JUDGES 2-3:Yesterday we heard how the tribe of Judah was more successful in driving out the Canaanites than the other tribes. Several of the tribes just moved in with their enemies. PSALM 79:This lament by Asaph is like Ps 74, talking about Jerusalem and the Temple conquered by enemies. There is a strong comparison with what we see starting to happen in Judges. GALATIANS 1:We heard the controversy over circumcision in Acts 15. This letter to the Galatian believers is on a similar theme, and it shows how Paul would have argued with the Jews of the circumcision party. Paul stays very much on this theme in this book— which in some ways foreshadows some arguments in the book of Romans. Important sections for memorizing include the ‘crucified with Christ’ passages in chapter 2 and 6, and the works of the flesh and fruits of the Holy Spirit in chapter 5. This book makes it perfectly clear that we are not saved by religion. We are saved by ‘faith’— which means ‘fully believing in Christ’. Do not fall into the trap of choosing between what James says about being saved by works and what Paul says. The two teachings are compatible. The saying taught to me by one of my spiritual fathers (Glen Zumwalt) is this: We are saved by ‘faith alone’; but saving faith will never be ‘alone’. Paul’s introduction in the first chapter is unique among his letters. He normally starts with praise for the congregation he is writing to. Not in this case! After he expresses his shock at the Galatian church, he goes on to remind them that the Good News they had so quickly abandoned was revealed directly to him by the Lord. NLT Translation notes:|Jdg. 3:12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord ’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil.====Gal. 1:1This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. 6  [But] I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous [kindness/grace]. Then it pleased him16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very [beliefs//faith] he tried to destroy!”

DEUTERONOMY 28:Yesterday we read of the ceremony that Moses commanded the people to perform when they entered the promised land. The Levites were to loudly proclaim curses from Mount Ebal over anyone who violates the laws. PSALM 64:If you feel that people are looking for opportunities to slander you, this psalm is for you. ACTS 16b:Yesterday in in this chapter— via the change of pronouns, we understood that Luke joined with Paul as one of his traveling companions. Also note that the Holy Spirit can also be called the Spirit of Jesus. These are one and the same Spirit of God. GNT Translation note:Deut. 28:44 They will have money to lend [to] you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.====Ps. 64:7 But [when You, O God, shoot your//God shoots his] arrows at them, [0//and] suddenly they [will be//are] wounded. 8 [You//He] will destroy them because of those words; all who see them will shake their heads.  9 They will all be afraid; they will think about what [You have//God] has done and tell about [your//his] deeds. 10 All righteous people will rejoice because of what [You have done, O Lord//the Lord has done]. They will find safety in [You//him]; all good people will praise [You//him]. NLT Translation notes:Acts 16:18This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of [ Christ Jesus// Jesus Christ] to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. [And the same is true for//, along with everyone in your household.”]

DEUTERONOMY 27:Yesterday in Deuteronomy, Moses continued with miscellaneous regulations. One repeated in the New Testament is to not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating when it is treading out grain. Paul used that as a metaphor for something else. PSALM 63:This is another poem of David, including beautiful imagery. Pray like David, if you want to be blessed like David or need protection as David did. ACTS 16a:Yesterday in Acts we heard how Barnabas and Paul with Silas and Judas/Justus delivered the letter from the leaders in Jerusalem. And afterward, Paul and Barnabas had their falling out over the issue of whether to take John Mark along on their next trip. Silas— who evidently had come back to Antioch, became Paul's new ministry partner. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 63:11 But the king will rejoice in [You, O ] God.All who trust in [You/him] will praise [You/him],while liars will be silenced.==== Acts 16:18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

DEUTERONOMY 25-26:Yesterday we read some laws for what kind of people could not enter into the congregation of Israel, and how long before their descendants could enter into the congregation of Israel. And we heard laws about cleanliness based on the fact that God was living with the Israelites. And, God wanted his people to be kind, fair, and thoughtful of the needs of the poor. PSALM 62:Here is a psalm to pray and an example to follow when you feel the world is against you. ACTS 15b:Yesterday in the first half of this chapter we heard how the controversy over circumcision started and we heard the speeches of Peter and James. GNT Translation notes:[The last verse of this Psalm shows that it is a prayer addressed to God. It is an open question if in verse 5 David is speaking encouragement to his own soul. The vocative form seems to indicate that. I think that CEV is correct in showing that in verses 3-5 David is speaking about himself in the third person.]Ps. 62:1 I wait patiently for [You, O] God to save me;I depend on [You//him] alone.2 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me];[You are//he is] my defender,and I shall never be defeated.3 How much longer will all of you [people] attack [me—] someonewho is no stronger than a broken-down fence?4 You only want to bring [me//him] down from [my//his] place of honor;you take pleasure in lies.You speak words of blessing,but in your heart[s] you curse [me//him].5 [O my soul, depend on God alone!//I depend on God alone;][O Lord, I put my hope in You.//I put my hope in him.]6 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me];[You are//he is] my defender,and I shall never be defeated.7 My salvation and honor depend on [You, O] God;[You are//he is] my strong protector;[You are//he is] my shelter.8 [O my people,//0] Trust in God at all times, [0//my people.]Tell him all your troubles,for he is our refuge.9 Human beings are all like a puff of breath;great and small alike are worthless.Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing;they are lighter than a mere breath.10 Don't put your trust in violence;don't hope to gain anything by robbery;even if your riches increase,don't depend on them.11 [O my God//0] More than once I have heard [You//God] saythat power belongs to [You//him]12 and that [your//his] love is constant.You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to their deeds.====Acts 15:29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. [Farewell] With our best wishes.” NLT Translation notes:Ps. 62:11 But the king will rejoice in [You, O ] God. All who trust in [You/him] will praise [You/him], while liars will be silenced. ====Acts 15:18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.  

DEUTERONOMY 11-12:In yesterday's reading, Moses continued to hammer on the people not to think that they have been favored by God because they are such good people. Moses gave his first hand account of being in God's presence for 40 days and 40 nights on two occasions, one right after the other. He also again models in his prayer for Israel the way to effectively pray for people— which is to base our prayers on God's character and his promises. PSALM 55:This poem was written out of the discouragement caused by betrayal. It includes the figure of speech called apostrophe. That is where the writer, David, speaks to his enemy as if he were present. The same part which includes that figure of speech is often quoted as it shows us how Jesus must have felt about Judas’ betrayal. ACTS 10b:Yesterday we heard of the wonderful way the Lord called Peter to go to Cornelius' house. In preparation, God gave Peter a vision (repeated three times to leave no doubt whatsoever) to the effect that God was now opening the door to the Gentiles to be cleansed and included as God's people. GNT Translation notes:Deut. 11:9 And you will live a long time in the rich and fertile land that the Lord promised to give [to] your ancestors and their descendants.====Ps. 55:23 But [to You I pray//you], O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you.====32 Send someone to Joppa for a man [named Simon who is also called Peter//whose full name is Simon Peter]. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.’42 And he commanded us to preach [this Good News//the gospel] to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. [It seems inconsistent to use ‘Good News’ in verse 36, and then to switch to ‘gospel’ here.]43 All the prophets spoke about him, saying that [through his authority] all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven [0//through the power of his name].”[The Greek does not have the word ‘power’, and this phrase comes before the verb ‘all who believe in Him’ in the Greek text. I have translated ‘name’ as a metonymy for ‘name’.] NLT Translation notes:Ps. 55:19 God, who has ruled forever,will hear me and humble them.Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways;they do not fear [you,/0] God.====Acts 10:5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter.18 they asked if a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter was staying there.22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. [An angel from God//A holy angel] instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man [like me//0] to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], who is Lord of all.43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that [through Jesus,//0] everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven [0//through his name].”48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of [Christ Jesus//JC]. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.  

DEUTERONOMY 9-10:In yesterday’s reading, Moses continued his stern lecture. I note particularly that Moses did all he could to stress that the Israelites must not get proud or think they’re great people based on their own merits. The reading also included the famous words, “people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” PSALM 54:This poem is a short cry for help, when David was under severe stress and being attacked. ACTS 10a:We are prepared for today's reading by the two notable miracles performed by Peter in Acts chapter 9. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 54:3 Proud people are coming to attack me; cruel people are trying to kill me— those who do not care about [You, O] God.  4 But [You are//God is] my helper. [You, O Lord are//The Lord I ] my defender.  6 May [You//God] use their own evil to punish my enemies. [You//He] will destroy them because [You are//he is] faithful.====Acts 10:5 And now send some men to Joppa for a certain man whose [name is Simon, and who is also called Peter//, and who is also called Peter//full name is Simon Peter]].6 He is a guest in the home of a tanner of leather [who is also] named Simon, who lives by the sea.”18 They called out and asked, “Is there a guest here by the name of Simon[, who is also called] Peter?” NLT Translation notes:Ps. 54:3 For strangers are attacking me;violent people are trying to kill me.They care nothing for [You, O/0] God.====Acts 10:5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter.18 they asked if a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter was staying there.22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. [An angel from God//A holy angel] instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man [like me//0] to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon [and also called//0] Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], who is Lord of all.43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that [through Jesus,//0] everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven [0//through his name].”48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of [Christ Jesus//JC]. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

DEUTERONOMY 7-8:Yesterday in Deuteronomy we heard Moses repeating the 10 Commandments and pleading with the people that they remain faithful in obeying all the commands and regulations the Lord gave. The reading ended with an important statement to remember when considering the difference between the old and new covenants: NLT: 6:25 “For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the LORD our God has given us.’” [GNT’s wording and its footnote are equally valid translations of this verse.]GNT: 6:25 If we faithfully obey everything that God has commanded us, he will be pleased with us.’**Footnote in GNT: 6.25: If we faithfully...with us; or The right thing for us to do is to obey faithfully everything that God has commanded us. PSALM 53:This is another Psalm that is quoted in the New Testament, and therefore, often quoted in general. This is a tell-it-like-it-is psalm, not a sweet and flowery poem. ACTS 9b:In the first half of this chapter,  we heard most of the story of Saul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. GNT Translation note:Acts 9:31 And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit [the church//[the church//it]] was strengthened and grew in numbers, as [they//[they//it]] lived in reverence for the Lord. NLT Translation notes:Acts 9:14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name [here//0].”21 All who heard him were amazed [and asked//0]. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” [0//they asked]. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”25 So during the night, some of [his fellow/the other] believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.  

DEUTERONOMY 5-6:Yesterday we heard Moses expound on the most important  command to never worship any idol or any god other than the Lord. He based this on the Israelite's experience of hearing God's voice and not seeing his form. Moses was realistic and knew that Israel would eventually leave God, and that God would judge them. He gave them this amazing promise: “from there (where you have been exiled by your enemies) you will search again for the LORD your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” PSALM 52:This is another psalm from David's experiences. He was betrayed by a man called Doeg, and then that man killed priests who had done nothing wrong. This psalm stands as testimony that God notices such things and will eventually bring just punishment for all injustice. ACTS 9a:In chapter 8, we heard the fantastic way the Lord led Philip. The Lord wanted a certain Ethiopian high official to be saved. The traditional church in Ethiopia still traces its history to that official. And Philip had the privilege of being miraculously teleported to a new location. He continued from there in preaching the Gospel, all the way to Caesarea, which is where we find him later. GNT Translation notes:Acts 9:20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus [is//was] the Son of God. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 52:9 I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good [reputation//name] in the presence of your faithful people.====Acts 9:14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name [here//0].”21 All who heard him were amazed [and asked//0]. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” [0//they asked]. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”25 So during the night, some of [his fellow/the other] believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.

NUMBERS 27-28:Yesterday we heard of the second registration of Israel's troops. PSALM 42:This Psalm contains words we often sing. It is a song about renewing hope in the Lord after discouragement. ACTS 3:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Peter's first sermon. 3,000 believed in Christ that day and were baptized. And the believers devoted themselves totally to the apostles' teaching. GNT Translation notes:Num. 27:1 Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the daughters of Zelophehad[. Zelophehad traced his genealogy as the] son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph.2 [His daughters//They] went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole community at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence and said,====Ps. 42 [I hope that you remember who the clan of Korah was! Note that the presence of this Psalm is an interesting proof that God forgave and accepted the service of Korah’s clan. This is another Psalm where the writer speaks honorific fashion to the Lord, speaking to him using the third person. To us, this makes it seem that the writer switches back and forth rapidly to talking about the Lord and talking to the Lord. I agree with CEV in adapting this Psalm to modern English and maintaining the perception that the whole poem is a prayer. Rather than reading from the CEV, I have simply made the required changes in the GNT at verses 4-9, and verse 11.]==== Act. 3:6 But Peter said to him, “I have no money at all, but I give you what I have: [by the power//in the name] of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to get up and walk!”16 GNT: It was the power of [Jesus//his name] that gave strength to this lame man. [This miracle that you can plainly//What you] see and know was done by [believing in Him//faith in his name]; it was [belief//faith] in Jesus that has made him well, as you can all see.16 revised NLT: “Through [fully believing//faith] in [Jesus//the name of Jesus], this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. [Fully believing in Jesus//Faith in Jesus’ name] has healed him before your very eyes.[Peter uses a common Jewish metonymy here— where ‘name’ stands for the whole person of Jesus. We use metonymy in English (in sayings like “The _pen_ is mightier than the _sword_.”) While many English speakers will understand ‘name of Jesus’ to simply refer to Jesus himself, others (and especially some of my podcast listeners from other cultures) could mistakenly think that the Bible teaches followers of Christ use ‘the name of Jesus’ like magic words.NET has this note at 3:6: In the name. … The reference to “the name” is not like a magical incantation, but is designed to indicate the _agent_ who performs the healing. The theme is quite frequent in Acts (2:38 plus 21 other times).If any of you say, “I’ve never heard ‘in the name of Jesus’ used like magic words!” I answer: Start listening! It’s happening all the time.] NLT Translation notes:Num28:24 On each of the seven days of the festival, this is how you must prepare the food offering that is presented as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to [Me,/0] the LORD. These will be offered in addition to the regular burnt offerings and liquid offerings.====Act.3:6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] the Nazarene,a get up and walk!”16 “Through [fully believing//faith] in [Jesus//the name of Jesus], this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. [Fully believing in Jesus//Faith in Jesus’ name] has healed him before your very eyes.[Peter uses a common Jewish metonymy here, where 'name' stands for the whole person of Jesus. We use metonymy in English (in sayings like “The pen is mightier than the sword.”) While many English speakers will understand 'name of Jesus' simply to refer to Jesus himself, others (and especially some of my listeners from other cultures) could be tempted to think that the Bible teaches followers of Christ use 'the name of Jesus' like magic words.]

NUMBERS 26:Yesterday we heard Balaam's final prophecies. Even though he was a shaman and a charlatan, God chose to speak through him on that occasion, giving a small glimpse of God's redemptive plan. PSALM 41:God hears us when we are down and cry out for his help. ACTS 2b:Yesterday we heard how the Holy Spirit came with tongues of fire and a loud noise, and the beginning part of Peter's first famous sermon. GNT Translation notes: Act. 2:18 Yes, even on [the slaves who obey me//my servants], both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will proclaim my message. [Nowadays a pastor may be respectfully referred to as “a servant of the Lord”, but that is not the meaning of ‘servant’ that was intended here. This is about the lowest class of people, the slaves— whom no one would expect to be blessed by an outpouring of God’s Spirit.] 38 Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit. [I remind what I said earlier this year: ‘Christ’ is a title and grammatically should be placed before the proper name, just as we do for all other titles.] 42 They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in [the prayers and the fellowship meals [(which included celebrating the Lord’s Supper)//the fellowship meals and the prayers]. 46 Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they [shared//had their] meals together in their homes [(including celebrating the Lord’s Supper)], eating with glad and humble hearts, [The phrase “breaking of bread” in verses 42 and 46 included both a meal and the celebration of communion.]

NUMBERS 26:Yesterday we heard Balaam's final prophecies. Even though he was a shaman and a charlatan, God chose to speak through him on that occasion, giving a small glimpse of God's redemptive plan. PSALM 41:God hears us when we are down and cry out for his help. ACTS 2b:Yesterday we heard how the Holy Spirit came with tongues of fire and a loud noise, and the beginning part of Peter's first famous sermon. GNT Translation notes:Act. 2:18 Yes, even on [the slaves who obey me//my servants], both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will proclaim my message.[Nowadays a pastor may be respectfully referred to as “a servant of the Lord”, but that is not the meaning of ‘servant’ that was intended here. This is about the lowest class of people, the slaves— whom no one would expect to be blessed by an outpouring of God’s Spirit.]38 Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit.[I remind what I said earlier this year: ‘Christ’ is a title and grammatically should be placed before the proper name, just as we do for all other titles.]42 They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in [the prayers and the fellowship meals [(which included celebrating the Lord’s Supper)//the fellowship meals and the prayers].46 Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they [shared//had their] meals together in their homes [(including celebrating the Lord’s Supper)], eating with glad and humble hearts,[The phrase “breaking of bread” in verses 42 and 46 included both a meal and the celebration of communion.]

EXODUS 13-14:Yesterday we heard of the final plague— including the death of the firstborn and the first Passover. And we heard the rules for the Passover celebrations. Note how Christ is foreshadowed in the Passover lamb, including the detail that not a bone was to be broken. JOB 37:This is the conclusion of Elihu's speech. 2nd PETER 1:Yesterday in James 5, James railed against the rich to encourage the poor. He also told us how to be patient in our suffering. The last section teaches about prayer for the sick and finally about repentance. I add a little footnote here. So often I hear the part about praying for the sick quoted by people who do not bother to fulfill all the instructions that James gives. If we are going to claim promises in Scriptures, we need to fulfill the conditions given! This 2nd letter of Peter's was probably written not long before he was martyred in AD 68. Or it could have been written as early as AD 65. A different person with a very different vocabulary served as Peter’s secretary to write this. One of the things that tells me that Peter really was the author is his consistent humility. In 1Peter 5, he spoke of himself as a fellow elder and a fellow in looking forward to the glory that will be revealed to us. And he starts this letter in a similar vein, calling his listeners those ‘who share the same precious [faith/way of believing] we [apostles] have.’ Constable quotes Vernon McGee:“Second Peter is the swan song of Peter, just as 2 Timothy is the swan song of Paul. There are striking similarities between the two books. Both epistles put up a warning sign along the pilgrim pathway the church is traveling to identify the awful apostasy that was on the way at the time and which in our time has now arrived. What was then like a cloud the size of a man’s hand today envelops the sky and produces a storm of hurricane proportions. Peter warns of heresy among teachers; Paul warns of heresy among the laity.” GNT Translation notes:2Ptr. 1:1 From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ—To those who through the righteousness of _our God and Savior Jesus Christ_ have been given a [way of believing//faith] as precious as ours:[One has to be very observant to pick up from the GNT above that Peter designates Jesus as _both_ our God and our Savior. That Jesus is being named as God is quite clear in the Greek. In our translation into Indonesian we made that clear by isolating the idea in a separate sentence.PET: 1-2 Dear Brothers and Sisters of mine in the faith— namely you who have been blessed by God so that you fully believe in Christ Jesus just like we do. And because of believing you’re blessed abundantly just like we have— in that we have been saved through what Christ Jesus did to make us righteous. _He is our God and Savior!_]3 God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a [godly//truly religious] life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his own glory and goodness.4 In [that//this] way he has given us the very great and precious [promises//gifts he promised], so that by means of [those promises//these gifts] you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature.20 PET Above all else, however, remember that [no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. (See NIV.)//none of us can explain by ourselves a prophecy in the Scriptures. ][GNT gives a different interpretation than what most translations follow. I think GNT’s interpretation of this verse is possible, but less likely to be right as the majority one.] NLT Translation notes:Exo. 13:31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the L ORD had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. [At last/0] they [fully believed//put their faith] in the L ORD and in his servant Moses.====1 This letter is from Simon a Peter, a slave and apostle of Christ Jesus.I am writing to you who share the same precious [beliefs/faith] we have. The things we fully believe were given to us//faith we have. This faith was given to you] because of the justice and fairness of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], our God and Savior.5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your [believing/faith] with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,14 For our Lord [and Christ Jesus//Lord Jesus Christ] has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life,  

EXODUS 5-6:Moses has responded to God's call, returned to Egypt with Aaron, and has had a successful meeting with the leaders of the Israelite people. JOB 33:This is Elihu's second chapter of six in his speech. JAMES 2:Yesterday James told us to consider it a great joy when troubles come our way. Don't miss James’ reasoning for this seeming contradiction. Then he spoke very strongly about not just being people who merely listen to God's Word. We must do it. GNT Translation notes:Jam. 2:14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it for people to say that they [believe in Christ//have faith] if their actions do not prove it? Can that [kind of believing//faith] save them?17 So it is with [belief//faith]: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.18 But someone will say, “One person has [strong belief//faith], another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can [believe in Christ//have faith] without [displaying any] actions. I will show you [that I believe//my faith] by my actions.” 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe [that] — and tremble with fear. 20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that [believing//faith] without actions is useless? 21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 Can't you see? His [belief//faith] and his actions worked together; his [belief//faith] was made perfect through his actions. 23 And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his [believing//faith] God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. 24 You see, then, that it is by people's actions that they are put right with God, and not by their [belief//faith] alone.26 So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, so also [believing//faith] without actions is dead.[I hope you remember why I use ‘believe’ instead of ‘faith’. In most of our English Bibles, ‘faith’ and ‘believe’ translate the same Greek root word (pistis/pisteuw). 1. Faith is fuzzy because the word has taken on all sorts of new meanings in English-speaking culture. 2. If you tell someone to have faith, they will likely ask, “But how?” Faith is not a volitional action. But ‘believing’ is! 3. And finally, I make the changes above for maintaining cohesion. In a verse like 23, it is important that the two phrases use the same word: ‘Abraham believed God’, and … ‘because of his believing’ he was counted as righteous. Such believing is not some fuzzy thing that Hollywood and our culture calls ‘faith’.] NLT Translation notes:Jam. 2:1 My dear brothers and sisters, a how can you claim to [fully believe//have faith] in our glorious Lord [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] if you favor some people over others?5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in [the area of fully believing in Christ//faith]? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], whose noble nameyou bear?10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty [of being a law breaker as the//as a] person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery.”HEADING: [Believing without Good Deeds Is Dead Religion//Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead]14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you [believe/have faith] but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of [believing/faith] save anyone?17 So you see, [believing/faith] by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead [religion/0] and useless.18 Now [I can just hear someone arguing//someone may argue], “Some people [are good at believing//have faith]; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me [that you believe//your faith] if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you [that I fully believe through//my faith] by my good deeds.”19 You say you [believe//have faith], [because/for] you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe [that/this], and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that [believing/faith] without good deeds is useless?22 You see, [believing/faith] and his actions worked together. His actions made his [believing/faith] complete [in God's sight]. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his [fully believing//faith].” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by [believing/faith] alone.[I hope you remember why I use ‘believe’ instead of ‘faith’. ‘Faith’ and ‘believe’ translate the same root word (pistin/pisteuw) in Greek. 1. Faith is fuzzy because the word has taken on all sorts of meanings. 2. If you tell someone to have faith, they will likely ask, “But how?” Faith is not a volitional action. But believing is. 3. And finally I make the changes above for maintaining cohesion. In a verse like 23, it is important that the two phrases use the same word: ‘Abraham believed God’, and … ‘because of his believing’— that believing just mentioned, not some fuzzy thing Hollywood and our culture calls ‘faith’.]26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also [merely believing is just dead religion//faith is dead] without good works.

GENESIS 46: In yesterday’s two chapters, Joseph's brothers went back to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Joseph contrived a creative way to reveal his identity. When Pharaoh heard about Joseph's brothers, he helped provide for Jacob's family to come to Egypt. JOB 28: This chapter and part of the previous chapter are assigned to Zophar in the GNT. NLT goes strictly with the assignments of speakers as in the Hebrew, where all of this is assigned to Job. Starting in 27:13, NLT therefore makes it clear that Job’s words, which sound mighty like what his opponents have said, are him (rather sarcastically) repeating their arguments. 1PETER 1:22—2: Peter addressed his letter to “To God's chosen people who live as [refugees/foreigners] scattered throughout” various provinces. But it is clear that Peter also has a spiritual meaning in mind, as the song says, “This world is not my home.” In chapter 2, Peter again comforts us and gives wonderful descriptions of our identity because of being joined to Christ. The first verse of chapter 2 starts with ‘then/So’, so let’s start out by reviewing the last verses of chapter 1, starting at v22. NLT Translation notes: Job 28:6 [Down there/Here] the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold. 16 [Wisdom is//It’s] worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli. 19 Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for [wisdom/it]. ==== 1Ptr. 2:5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As [God says in the Scriptures// the Scriptures say], “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who [believes/trusts] in him will never be [disappointed/disgraced].” [Both meanings for this word are good. I simply prefer 'disappointed'. I think the idea is that No one who trusts in Him will find out that they have believed a lie. See Biblewebapp.com.] 7 Yes, you who [believe/trust] in him recognize [how precious that Cornerstone is!//the honor God has given him.]But for those who reject him, [the Scriptures say,]“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” [In 7a, NLT is not wrong. (Almost always when I make changes, it is not correcting mistakes, but simply choosing an alternative.) The Greek is very terse: “For you who believe therefore is the honor,” And the choice of meaning may be conditioned on what choice the translator has made at for  disgraced /disappointed' above. I totally do not like ESV here: “So the honor is for you who believe,” Such a translation takes the focus off Christ and puts it on us. It seems to me that NIV is much better: “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.”] 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. [As the Scriptures say,/0]11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” [in this world] to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 13 For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority— whether [that be/0] the king as head of state, 16 [You//For you] are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 21 For God [has/0] called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

GENESIS 44-45: Yesterday we heard of Joseph's brothers on their first and second trips to Egypt. [GNT only: Regarding my comment in yesterday’s podcast about Joseph giving wine without limit, it is likely that He was showing the normal generosity of a wealthy host. I very much doubt that under these circumstances his brothers would have allowed themselves to become drunk.] We pick up the story, still in Joseph's palace on the second trip. JOB 27: In the NLT, this chapter is the 2nd chapter of Job’s six-chapter-long speech. But in the GNT Zophar interrupts and carries on through chapter 28. FIRST PETER 1: In the last chapter of Mark’s Gospel, we read about the resurrection of Jesus. Since Mark very likely wrote his gospel based on Peter's information, it seems fitting that we move to Peter's two letters now. Evidently Peter spent the last decade of his life in Rome, where he was martyred around the year 64. Mark (whom Peter fondly refers to as ‘his son’ in chapter 5) was with him in Rome when this was written. Silas— whom we will hear of later in Acts, was the secretary for writing this letter. Scholars do not doubt that this letter is from Peter. Here are a couple of quotes from Constable’s Notes. Constable quotes Selwyn: “Along with [1Peter’s//its] [end times//eschatological] focus there is much emphasis on holiness (personal, social, and communal), hope, salvation, community, relationship to the world, the Trinity, and especially suffering.” “… despite its brevity—only 105 verses in all—[1Peter/it] is a microcosm of Christian faith and duty, the model of a pastoral charge, composed of divers materials and of many themes.” For those who want to delve deeper in studying this short letter, I encourage you to search out and mark every occurrence of these repeated words: trials/suffering, hope, joy, grace, and glory. GNT Translation notes: 1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ]. [This change will be made everywhere in my podcasts. Even though the Greek has the order as ‘Jesus Christ’ and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not really grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ— by the way, means the same as the title in the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean ‘the anointed one’.] ‘faith’ → ‘fully believe’ [This change was also made in the podcast. It helps us to see the cohesion of the Greek word ‘pistis/pistew’ if the same root word is used in English.] 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” [Included in this Word that lasts forever//This word] is the Good News that was proclaimed to you. NLT Translation notes: Job 27:13 [You say//0], “This is what the wicked will receive from God; [I also added ‘You say” to verses 16, 18, and 22.] 14 They may have many children, [(you say,)] but the children will die in war or starve to death. 16 “Evil people [(you say)] may have piles of money and may store away mounds of clothing. 20 Terror[s] overwhelm[0/s] them like a flood,  [(you say,)] and they are blown away in the storms of the night. ==== 1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ].   [and this change will be made everywhere.] [*Even though the Greek has the order as 'Jesus Christ' and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ, by the way, means the same as the same title from the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean 'the anointed one'.] 5 And through your [fully believing//faith]* in Christ, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. [*As I have discussed in other footnotes before, the word 'faith' in English has developed many meanings, and because of that it makes the meaning unclear to use the word ‘faith’ in Bible translations in English. In Greek, 'faith' and 'believe' are just the verb and noun form of the same word.] 7 These trials will [prove//show] that [you truly believe//your faith is genuine]. [Your believing//It] is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your [believing//faith] is far more precious than mere gold. So when [you continue strong in your believing in spite of many trials//your faith remains strong through many trials], it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] is revealed to the whole world. 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you [fully believe in//trust] him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for [believing in//trusting] him will be the salvation of your souls. [It greatly damages the cohesion of a passage when the translators sometimes translate the same Greek word as ‘believe’ and the noun form as ‘faith’. Now the NLT translators went even further by using ‘trust’ instead of ‘believe’. I urge us to use ‘believe/fully believe’ everywhere, so we can see the cohesion that centers on this term. One might say that the New Testament writers were harping on it! If people are afraid of the error of easy-believism, then I wouldn’t mind using the word ‘trust’ everywhere. But my main point is, let the cohesion be seen.] 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. [Back then you didn’t know any better.//You didn’t know any better then.]16 For [God says in//0] the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 21 Through Christ you have come to [believe//trust] in God. You believe that God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. [The result is that you fully believe//And you have placed your faith] and hope in God. [moved to the front→ because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.]25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And [included in the word of the Lord that remains forever //that word] is the Good News that was preached to you!  

Congratulations on starting TODAY on a life-transforming journey! The Digging Deeper Daily plan will help you be successful in your commitment to read the whole Bible in a year. The unique order of the readings— together with the brief devotional notes, will help you see the various threads that unify the message of the Old and the New Testaments. I hope these notes will help you remember what you have read the day before, and hint at the deep and incredibly rich treasures in God’s Word. But the most satisfying treasures that you find this year will be the ones you dig to discover for yourself! Check out the ‘Shovels’ page of dailybiblereading.info for tools to help you go deeper in your study. Please also check out our free dedicated listening apps for your smart device by searching for the DailyBibleReading podcast in the app store or play store. GENESIS 1-2:The first five books of the Bible are the Jewish Torah, and the Bible refers to them collectively as ‘the Law’. Many other books in the Bible attribute the authorship of these five books to Moses. Genesis is the foundational book of the whole Bible. When we were in our first Bible translation project among the Orya in Papua, Indonesia, I witnessed how getting a little detail of the foundation wrong (such as, how the first sin happened) can wreck the whole building that is being constructed. This book of Genesis tells us what God wants us to know about the beginning of our world, the beginning of sin, mankind’s rebellion against God, and who God and Satan are. JOB 1: The story of Job is set in the period of the patriarch Abraham, and it takes place in the land of the East. What I did not realize until recently is that signs indicate that this book was written at a later time and almost certainly by an Israelite. By the author writing that Job was “the richest man in the East”, it places the author in the West, in the land of Israel. The author frequently uses the name of ‘Yahweh’, which I think would not have been done in Abraham’s time— which was long before God’s name was revealed to Moses at the burning bush. The author was a highly educated man. All of the book— except the first two chapters, are in exquisite poetry. The author displays an in-depth knowledge of mythology, the constellations, and the current wisdom concerning the world— including the underworld and traits of exotic animals. I might as well say it: The philosophy of this book is worthy of Solomon. Whoever he is, the author displays incredible wisdom. One would expect an ancient book that is didactic in nature to end with a neat answer that sums up the author’s opinion. Or one would expect an ancient author to create a debate where the hero is totally right and the other speakers are clearly wrong. Instead, all the human speakers in the book of Job mix truth and error. It is a mark of inspired wisdom that in the end, the book of Job leaves us still pondering and searching for some answers. MARK 1a:Due to the 400 word limit for the YouVersion Devotional Content pages, the introduction to Mark is given on Day 2. GNT Translation notes:1 This is the Good News about [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], the Son of God. [The order in Greek here is ‘Jesus Christ’, and sometimes the Greek puts the order the other way around. I will consistently read ‘Christ Jesus’. Here is the reason I do this: Although it has become natural for us to say ‘Jesus Christ’, it is actually against English grammar. ‘Christ’ is a title. And in English, titles (such as president, doctor, or ambassador) always come first. The reason why I point this out is this: I have found people who think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name. The title ‘Christ’ (from Greek) means exactly the same thing as Messiah (from Hebrew). Both mean ‘anointed one’. You will notice that I read many Bible names in a strange way. I read them with a more phonetic pronunciation— which in fact, is more like how the Indonesian language and many others read them. This allows me to be more consistent in my pronunciation, and it also happens to be more like the Hebrew and Greek pronunciations. English pronunciations for some names is quite far from the source language pronunciations. An example from today is the name Isaiah, which I pronounce as ‘Yesayah’.] 6 John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food [included//was] locusts and wild honey.

Congratulations on starting TODAY on a life-transforming journey! The Digging Deeper Daily plan will help you be successful in your commitment to read the whole Bible in a year. The unique order of the readings— together with the brief devotional notes, will help you see the various threads that unify the message of the Old and the New Testaments. I hope these notes will help you remember what you have read the day before, and hint at the deep and incredibly rich treasures in God’s Word. But the most satisfying treasures that you find this year will be the ones you dig to discover for yourself! Check out the ‘Shovels’ page of dailybiblereading.info for tools to help you go deeper in your study. Please also check out our free dedicated listening apps for your smart device by searching for the DailyBibleReading podcast in the app store or play store.   NLT podcast listeners: You have chosen to listen to the first podcast in the NLT series. Please be aware that these recordings of the NlT were first made in 2014, when I was very new to podcasting. Now, after three year’s experience, I hear all sorts of little things I would now do differently, including pronunciation, tone of voice, and audio editing. I almost decided NOT to re-release this series of podcasts this year. If you are patient through the first month or two, you will find that I eventually got better in making the podcasts. Even though I don’t like listening to these first podcasts, there are some serendipitous and spontaneous moments that I hope my grandchildren will enjoy listening to. If you are listening using earbuds in a car speeding down the freeway, perhaps some of the glitches in production won’t be noticed. However, if you find yourself bothered by the imperfections, try listening to the GNT recordings instead.     GENESIS 1-2: The first five books of the Bible are the Jewish Torah, and the Bible refers to them collectively as ‘the Law’. Many other books in the Bible attribute the authorship of these five books to Moses. Genesis is the foundational book of the whole Bible. When we were in our first Bible translation project among the Orya in Papua, Indonesia, I witnessed how getting a little detail of the foundation wrong (such as, how the first sin happened) can wreck the whole building that is being constructed. This book of Genesis tells us what God wants us to know about the beginning of our world, the beginning of sin, mankind’s rebellion against God, and who God and Satan are.     JOB 1: The story of Job is set in the period of the patriarch Abraham, and it takes place in the land of the East. What I did not realize until recently is that signs indicate that this book was written at a later time and almost certainly by an Israelite. By the author writing that Job was “the richest man in the East”, it places the author in the West, in the land of Israel. The author frequently uses the name of ‘Yahweh’, which I think would not have been done in Abraham’s time— which was long before God’s name was revealed to Moses at the burning bush. The author was a highly educated man. All of the book— except the first two chapters, are in exquisite poetry. The author displays an in-depth knowledge of mythology, the constellations, and the current wisdom concerning the world— including the underworld and traits of exotic animals. I might as well say it: The philosophy of this book is worthy of Solomon. Whoever he is, the author displays incredible wisdom. One would expect an ancient book that is didactic in nature to end with a neat answer that sums up the author’s opinion. Or one would expect an ancient author to create a debate where the hero is totally right and the other speakers are clearly wrong. Instead, all the human speakers in the book of Job mix truth and error. It is a mark of inspired wisdom that in the end, the book of Job leaves us still pondering and searching for some answers.     MARK 1a: Due to the 400 word limit for the YouVersion Devotional Content pages, the introduction to Mark is given on Day 2.     GNT Translation notes: 1 This is the Good News about [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], the Son of God. [The order in Greek here is ‘Jesus Christ’, and sometimes the Greek puts the order the other way around. I will consistently read ‘Christ Jesus’. Here is the reason I do this: Although it has become natural for us to say ‘Jesus Christ’, it is actually against English grammar. ‘Christ’ is a title. And in English, titles (such as president, doctor, or ambassador) always come first. The reason why I point this out is this: I have found people who think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name. The title ‘Christ’ (from Greek) means exactly the same thing as Messiah (from Hebrew). Both mean ‘anointed one’. You will notice that I read many Bible names in a strange way. I read them with a more phonetic pronunciation— which in fact, is more like how the Indonesian language and many others read them. This allows me to be more consistent in my pronunciation, and it also happens to be more like the Hebrew and Greek pronunciations. English pronunciations for some names is quite far from the source language pronunciations. An example from today is the name Isaiah, which I pronounce as ‘Yesayah’.]   6 John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food [included//was] locusts and wild honey.     NLT Translation notes: Gen. 1:3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the [end of the] first day. … And evening passed and morning came, marking the [end of the] second day. …and so forth. ==== Mrk. 1:1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written, … [quoting what God said to his son:] 6 [John reminded people of the prophet Elijah,] because his clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. And he ate food such as locusts and wild honey.  

EZEKIEL 44-45:In the vision of the ideal temple yesterday, we heard of the buildings of rooms for the priests and offerings, the altar, the glory of God coming to this temple, and the reason for this vision. ISAIAH 19:Yesterday in Isaiah we heard the prophecy about the defeat of the Ethiopians, and at the end of that message, there was a note of hope for that nation. HEBREWS 13:Yesterday (and even the day before) we returned to the place of rest which was the theme of chapters 3-4. Did you notice?! Compare the last verse of chapter 4 with the place where we ‘have come’ to in 10:22-24. GNT Translation notes:Heb. 13:1 Keep on loving one another as [brothers and sisters in the Lord//Christians].7 Remember your former leaders, who spoke God's message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate [the way they lived out their beliefs//their faith]. 8 [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [The correct order is ‘title’ then ‘name’ in English. We always say words like ‘president’, ‘senator’, and ‘doctor’ before a person’s name in that role. Greek can do the order either way. This is important because there are people in the world that think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name. The order is reversed in v.21 also.]9 Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you from the right way. It is good to receive inner strength from [appreciating God’s gracious kindness//God's grace], and not by obeying rules about foods; those who obey these rules have not been helped by them.

EZEKIEL 44-45:In the vision of the ideal temple yesterday, we heard of the buildings of rooms for the priests and offerings, the altar, the glory of God coming to this temple, and the reason for this vision. ISAIAH 19:Yesterday in Isaiah we heard the prophecy about the defeat of the Ethiopians, and at the end of that message, there was a note of hope for that nation. HEBREWS 13:Yesterday (and even the day before) we returned to the place of rest which was the theme of chapters 3-4. Did you notice?! Compare the last verse of chapter 4 with the place where we ‘have come’ to in 10:22-24. GNT Translation notes:Heb. 13:1 Keep on loving one another as [brothers and sisters in the Lord//Christians].7 Remember your former leaders, who spoke God's message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate [the way they lived out their beliefs//their faith]. 8 [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [The correct order is ‘title’ then ‘name’ in English. We always say words like ‘president’, ‘senator’, and ‘doctor’ before a person’s name in that role. Greek can do the order either way. This is important because there are people in the world that think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name. The order is reversed in v.21 also.]9 Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you from the right way. It is good to receive inner strength from [appreciating God’s gracious kindness//God's grace], and not by obeying rules about foods; those who obey these rules have not been helped by them. NLT Translation notes:Heb. 13:7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of [the way they lived out their beliefs.//their faith.]8 [Christ Jesus/Jesus Christ] is the same yesterday, today, and forever.9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.[The correct order is ‘title’ then ‘name’ in English. We always say words like ‘president’, ‘senator’, and ‘doctor’ before a person’s name in that role. Greek can do the order either way. This is important because there are people in the world that think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name.]15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to [Him//his name]. 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will.May he produce in you,through the power of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ],every good thing that is pleasing to him.All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

EZEKIEL 18-19:Yesterday in Ezekiel we read the riddle of the two eagles, portraying Israel’s king breaking his sworn covenant with Babylon. There is a lesson here for us. Normally Babylon would be considered the enemy, and getting free from the enemy would be considered a good thing. But NOT SO if the country has made a promise of loyalty sealed by a vow taken in God’s name! Faithfulness to oaths and promises in God’s name take precedence over ‘business as usual’. ISAIAH 3:These famous words from yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah bear repeating today: Is. 2:2 GNT In days to come the mountain where the Temple standswill be the highest one of all,towering above all the hills.Many nations will come streaming to it,3 and their people will say,“Let us go up the hill of the Lord,to the Temple of Israel's God.He will teach us what he wants us to do;we will walk in the paths he has chosen.For the Lord's teaching comes from Jerusalem;from Zion he speaks to his people.”4 He will settle disputes among great nations.They will hammer their swords into plowsand their spears into pruning knives.Nations will never again go to war,never prepare for battle again. JUDE:We come today to the little epistle from Jude, the brother of Jesus. But, significantly, he doesn’t call himself Jesus’ half-brother. He calls himself the Slave of Christ Jesus. Jude wrote his letter around the same time as 2 Peter, sometime around AD 60-80. I think that Peter borrowed material from Jude, rather than the other way around. One thing that makes me think this is that Jude uses more material from extra-biblical sources than Peter does in 2 Peter 2. Jude and Peter were writing in a very difficult time for Christians, and Jude calls us to contend for the ‘faith’— the teachings that God has given to us to fully believe. GNT Translation notes:Jud. 3 My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for [our beliefs— the true teachings//the faith] which once and for all God has given to his people.20 [PET But my beloved Brothers and Sisters, each of you should strengthen one another so that you continue to fully believe in the holy teachings you have received. Keep on praying with the help of the Holy Spirit.//GNT But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred [beliefs//faith]. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,] NLT Translation notes:Jud. 1This letter is from Jude, a slave of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] and a brother of James.I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.20 But  you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,[Footnote: Faith = belief. Holy beliefs can be summarized as the content of the Gospel and all of God’s Word. These are the ‘healthy teachings’ that Paul spoke about in Titus and his other books.]

JONAH 3-4:Running from God didn’t work for Jonah. When saved from the ocean, Jonah grudgingly obeys God. For most of my life, I have been fooled by Jonah's prayer in chapter 2, and I am not alone, because others have called it, “One of the great prayers in the Bible.” For most of the prayer, Jonah simply borrowed verses from the Psalms. And there is nothing wrong with that! However, if you look closer, Jonah prayed a me-centered and self-righteous prayer. The worst thing about it is there is no hint of repentance or asking forgiveness. PSALM 137:As a musician, I can imagine what the musician who wrote this felt. The imprecation at the end should be taken in view of God’s justice. Compare the thought here with Rev. 6:9 and following verses (the cry of the saints under the altar), and also the ending chapters of Revelation that portray the vengeful judgment against ‘Babylon’— which in that book is used as a figurative name. Rereading JOHN 17:Note again the importance of the organic bond of union between the Father, the Son, and we who believe in Jesus. Again note the bond of love. Note that our Savior actually prays for us. And this is because we live in a world that is not our home. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 137:4 How can we sing a song to [You, Lord,//the Lord] in a foreign land?====John 17:1 After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to [Me,] your Son, so that [I//the Son] may give glory to you.2 For you gave [Me//him] authority over all people, so that [I//he] might give eternal life to all those you gave [Me//him].3 [I, the writer, agree and add that, “//And] eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], whom you sent.[” Jesus was still praying,]21 I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be [joined as one with//in] us, just as you are [joined with//in] me and I am [joined with//in] you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 23 I [— joined as one with//in] them and you [— joined with//in] me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.26 I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be [one with//in] them.”

JONAH 3-4:Running from God didn’t work for Jonah. When saved from the ocean, Jonah grudgingly obeys God. For most of my life I have been fooled by Jonah's prayer in chapter 2, and I am not alone, because others have called it, “One of the great prayers in the Bible.” For most of the prayer, Jonah simply borrowed verses from the Psalms. And there is nothing wrong with that! However, if you look closer, Jonah prayed a me-centered and self-righteous prayer. The worst thing about it is there is no hint of repentance or asking forgiveness. PSALM 137:As a musician, I can imagine what the musician who wrote this felt. The imprecation at the end should be taken in view of God’s justice. Compare the thought here with Rev. 6:9 and following verses (the cry of the saints under the altar), and also the ending chapters of Revelation that portray the vengeful judgment against ‘Babylon’— which in that book is used as a figurative name. Rereading JOHN 17:Note again the importance of the organic bond of union between the Father, the Son, and we who believe in Jesus. Again note the bond of love. Note that our Savior actually prays for us. And this is because we live in a world that is not our home. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 137:4 How can we sing a song to [You, Lord,//the Lord] in a foreign land?====John 17:1 After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to [Me,] your Son, so that [I//the Son] may give glory to you.2 For you gave [Me//him] authority over all people, so that [I//he] might give eternal life to all those you gave [Me//him].3 [I, the writer, agree and add that, “//And] eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], whom you sent.[” Jesus was still praying,]21 I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be [joined as one with//in] us, just as you are [joined with//in] me and I am [joined with//in] you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 23 I [— joined as one with//in] them and you [— joined with//in] me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.26 I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be [one with//in] them.” NLT Translation notes:John 17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify [Me— ]your Son[,] so [that I//he] can give glory back to you.2 For you have given [Me/him] authority over everyone. [I give//He gives] eternal life to each one you have given [to Me//him].3 [Parenthesis by John:] And this is the way to have [that] eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, [you have given me your power. Now protect them by your power and for the sake of your reputation.//you have given me your name;b now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be  united just as we are.]12 During my time here, I protected them by the power  you gave me.c I guarded them so that not one was lost, [0//of the name]except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are [joined together with/in] me, Father, and I am [joined with//in] you. And may they be [joined as one with/in] us so that the world will believe you sent me.23 I am [joined together with//in] them and you are [joined together with//in] me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I [know you//do]; and these disciples know you sent me.26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be [joined together as one with//in] them.”  

2SAMUEL 17:Yesterday we heard how Saul's servant, Ziba, showed his loyalty and helped David on his way. And how Shimei from Saul's family cursed and persecuted David all along the way. No wonder David was exhausted after that hike. David refused to put him to death or to punish him. (But we find out later that he didn't forget about Shimei.) David's friend, Hushai, joined himself to Absalom, as David asked him to do. And Nathan’s prophecy to David was unknowingly fulfilled through Ahithophel’s advice to Absolom. PSALM 116:This is a poem sharing personal experience. Though this poem is not attributed to David, what we read here could be his prayer during and following what we are reading about in 2nd Samuel 17-18. John 1a:I always look forward each year to reading the Gospel of John. John’s Gospel is different from all the other gospels. John was probably very young when he became Jesus’ follower, perhaps 25 years old. But he seems to have waited until very late in life to begin writing, perhaps when he was 85 years old. This was long after the other Gospels and even the epistles were written. The title he gives himself in this book is ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. This doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t love the other 11! GNT Translation notes:6 [CEV] [How kind You are, Lord!— //You are kind, Lord,] so good and merciful.====John 1:2 From the very beginning [the Person who is called] the Word was with God. 19 The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “[Whose position are you assuming?//Who are you?”]21 “[Whose role are taking//Who are you], then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No, I am not,” John answered. “Are you the Prophet?” they asked. “No,” he replied. 27 He is coming after me, but I am not good enough [to be the servant who unties//even to untie] his sandals.” NLT Translation notes:[I changed the whole of Ps. 116 to become a prayer to God, like has been done in the CEV. This prayer is a prayer directly to God. Note that the first verse starts, “I love Yahweh hear sound supplication.” One can see that using the proper name (and with no pronoun ‘he’ actually there in the second phrase), that this is easy to understand as a prayer to God. But the standard translation of Yahweh is ‘the Lord’, so that ‘he’ is added in the second phase. That is why most translation sound like this is a poem talking about the Lord, not a prayer directed to Him. It is actually proper and better to understand this as a prayer, so nearly every verse changed. I note here only a few verses where I made special comments.]Ps. 116:4 Then I called on [You, Lord://the name of the LORD:]“[Lord, please//Please, LORD,] save me!”[This use of ‘the name’ is a metonymy based on the Jewish avoidance of actually saying the Lord’s name. ‘The name’ stands for the whole person of the Lord. In English, calling on a name is quite unnatural. I would never call on Chad’s name. I would just call Chad or call on Chad. See v.13.]13 I will [pour out an offering of wine to You giving thanks for Your saving me//lift up the cup of salvation][Before looking into this while I was recording, I wrongly guessed at the meaning of ‘lift up the cup of salvation’, as “I will drink a toast to God because of my salvation.” As it happens, that is kind of what The Message has. This just shows what happens when modern readers confront a literal translation of such a figure. And note that NLT is inconsistent in reverting to a literal translation here, while most of the time translating in a meaning-based way.]and [I will] praise [You//the LORD’s name for saving me].[Like we saw in verse 4, if we were really going to literally ‘praise the Lord’s name’— meaning just his name, and not praise His person, it appears like idolatry to me. (I do hear people saying things like that, but when they do I take it that they are parodying Bible language.) How often do we hear people using a phrase like, “They praised Obama’s name for his speech at…” I think almost always, when people say things like that about our president, they just praise Obama and leave his name out of it.]17 [[[I will offer a sacrifice of thankful prayers to You.////I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving[and I will give thankful prayers to You.//and call on You, Lord,because of your wonderful reputation// and call on the name of the LORD].]]][Note here that “sacrifice of thanksgiving” is ambiguous in English. It could mean that his offering will consist of thanksgiving, or that he will offer an animal sacrifice as an act of thanksgiving. It is likely that the former is the meaning here. And if the two halves of the parallelism in this verse are  mutually completing, then the meaning could be boiled down to this: Thankful prayers will be the sacrifice that I will offer continually to you.]====John 1:2 He [(that is the One I am calling ‘the Word’)] existed in the beginning with God.5 [That//The] light shines in the darkness,and the darkness can never extinguish it.13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth [which is the result of//resulting from] human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and [He is worthy of being fully believed//faithfulness].e And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.16 From [the abundance of Him who we call ‘the Word’//his abundance] we have all received one gracious blessing after another.17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and [true teachings that are worthy of full belief//faithfulness] came through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ].[Verse 14 and 17 represent quite a challenge for the translator. The word ‘truth’ in Greek should be taken to mean the same thing in both verses. I think the translators desired to find one word that would work here, but I feel that ‘faithfulness’ shifts the meaning from what John intended.]19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “[Whose place are you claiming to fulfill?//Who are you?]”20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”21“Well then, [whose place are you taking?//who are you?]” they asked. “Are you [taking Elijah’s place//Elijah]?”“No,” he replied.“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”“No.”22 “Then [who gave you any authority to work like this?//who are  you?] We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:“I am [the/a] voice shouting in the wilderness,‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’”31[Before now] I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest [upon, He] is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is [God’s Chosen One.//the Chosen One of God.]”45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very [one/person] Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”50 Jesus [responded//asked him], “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”[I don’t think we use ‘asked’ to introduce rhetorical questions in English. And Greek doesn’t use this verb either.]51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see [“]heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on[” Me,] the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.[It is often necessary in other languages to include ‘I/Me’, because in most languages one just doesn’t talk of oneself using the third person, he. This is not grammatical in most languages.]  

Congratulations on starting TODAY on a life-transforming journey! The Digging Deeper Daily plan will help you be successful in your commitment to read the whole Bible in a year. The unique order of the readings— together with the brief devotional notes, will help see the various threads that unify the message of the Old and the New Testaments. I hope these notes will help you remember what you have read the day before, and hint at the deep and incredibly rich treasures in God’s Word. But the most satisfying treasures that you find this year will be the ones you dig to discover for yourself! Check out the ‘Shovels’ page of dailybiblereading.info for tools to help you go deeper in your study. GENESIS 1-2:The first five books of the Bible are the Jewish Torah, and the Bible refers to them collectively as ‘the Law’. Many other books in the Bible attribute the authorship of these five books to Moses. Genesis is the foundational book of the whole Bible. When we were in our first Bible translation project among the Orya in Papua, Indonesia, I witnessed how getting a little detail of the foundation wrong (such as, how the first sin happened) can wreck the whole building that is being constructed. This book of Genesis tells us what God wants us to know about the beginning of our world, the beginning of sin, mankind’s rebellion against God, and who God and Satan are. JOB 1: The story of Job is set in the period of the patriarch Abraham, and it takes place in the land of the East. What I did not realize until recently is that signs indicate that this book was written at a later time and almost certainly by an Israelite. By the author writing that Job was “the richest man in the East”, it places the author in the West, in the land of Israel. The author frequently uses the name of ‘Yahweh’, which I think would not have been done in Abraham’s time— which was long before God’s name was revealed to Moses at the burning bush. The author was a highly educated man. All of the book— except the first two chapters, are in exquisite poetry. The author displays an in-depth knowledge of mythology, the constellations, and the current wisdom concerning the world— including the underworld and traits of exotic animals. I might as well say it: The philosophy of this book is worthy of Solomon. Whoever he is, the author displays incredible wisdom. One would expect an ancient book that is didactic in nature to end with a neat answer that sums up the author’s opinion. Or one would expect an ancient author to create a debate where the hero is totally right and the other speakers are clearly wrong. Instead, all the human speakers in the book of Job mix truth and error. It is a mark of inspired wisdom that in the end, the book of Job leaves us still pondering and searching for some answers. MARK 1a:This book will be introduced in the next podcast.  GNT Translation notes:1 This is the Good News about [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], the Son of God.[The order in Greek here is ‘Jesus Christ’, and sometimes the Greek puts the order the other way around. I will consistently read ‘Christ Jesus’. Here is the reason I do this: Although it has become natural for us to say ‘Jesus Christ’, it is actually against English grammar. ‘Christ’ is a title. And in English, titles (such as president, doctor, or ambassador) always come first. The reason why I point this out is this: I have found people who think that ‘Christ’ is Jesus’ last name. The title ‘Christ’ (from Greek) means exactly the same thing as Messiah (from Hebrew). Both mean ‘anointed one’.You will notice that I read many Bible names in a strange way. I read them with a more phonetic pronunciation— which in fact, is more like how the Indonesian language and many others read them. This allows me to be more consistent in my pronunciation, and it also happens to be more like the Hebrew and Greek pronunciations. English pronunciations for some names is quite far from the source language pronunciations. An example from today is the name Isaiah, which I pronounce as ‘Yesayah’.]6 John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food [included//was] locusts and wild honey. NLT Translation notes:Gen. 1:3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there waslight. 4And God saw that the light was good. Then heseparated the light from the darkness. 5 God called thelight “day” and the darkness “night.”And evening passed and morning came, markingthe [end of the] first day.… And evening passed and morning came, markingthe [end of the] second day.…and so forth. ==== Mrk. 1:1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Sonof God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written, …[quoting what God said to his son:]6 [John reminded people of the prophet Elijah,] becausehis clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he worea leather belt around his waist. And he ate food such aslocusts and wild honey.