Through the Bible – Day 196

Bible text(s)

Psalms 36

(For the music leader by David, the LORD's servant.)

Human sin and God's goodness

₁Sinners don't respect God;

sin is all they think about.

₂They like themselves too much

to hate their own sins

or even to see them.

₃They tell deceitful lies,

and they don't have the sense

to live right.

₄Those people stay awake,

thinking up mischief,

and they follow the wrong road,

refusing to turn from sin.

₅Your love is faithful, LORD,

and even the clouds in the sky

can depend on you.

₆Your decisions are always fair.

They are firm like mountains,

deep like the sea,

and all people and animals

are under your care.

₇Your love is a treasure,

and everyone finds shelter

in the shadow of your wings.

₈You give your guests a feast

in your house,

and you serve a tasty drink

that flows like a river.

₉The life-giving fountain

belongs to you,

and your light gives light

to each of us.

₁₀Our LORD, keep showing love

to everyone who knows you,

and use your power to save all

whose thoughts please you.

₁₁Don't let those proud

and merciless people

kick me around

or chase me away.

₁₂Look at those wicked people!

They are knocked down,

never to get up again.

Psalms 37

(By David.)

Trust the LORD

₁Don't be annoyed by anyone

who does wrong,

and don't envy them.

₂They will soon disappear

like grass without rain.

₃Trust the LORD and live right!

The land will be yours,

and you will be safe.

₄Do what the LORD wants,

and he will give you

your heart's desire.

₅Let the LORD lead you

and trust him to help.

₆Then it will be as clear

as the noonday sun

that you were right.

₇Be patient and trust the LORD.

Don't let it bother you

when all goes well for those

who do sinful things.

₈Don't be angry or furious.

Anger can lead to sin.

₉All sinners will disappear,

but if you trust the LORD,

the land will be yours.

₁₀Sinners will soon disappear,

never to be found,

₁₁but the poor will take the land

and enjoy a big harvest.

₁₂Merciless people make plots

against good people

and snarl like animals,

₁₃but the Lord laughs and knows

their time is coming soon.

₁₄The wicked kill with swords

and shoot arrows to murder

the poor and the needy

and all who do right.

₁₅But they will be killed

by their own swords,

and their arrows

will be broken.

₁₆It is better to live right

and be poor

than to be sinful and rich.

₁₇The wicked will lose all

of their power,

but the LORD gives strength

to everyone who is good.

₁₈Those who obey the LORD

are daily in his care,

and what he has given them

will be theirs for ever.

₁₉They won't be in trouble

when times are bad,

and they will have plenty

when food is scarce.

₂₀Wicked people are enemies

of the LORD

and will vanish like smoke

from a field on fire.

₂₁An evil person borrows

and never pays back;

a good person is generous

and never stops giving.

₂₂Everyone the LORD blesses

will receive the land;

everyone the LORD curses

will be destroyed.

₂₃If you do what the LORD wants,

he will make certain

each step you take is sure.

₂₄The LORD will hold your hand,

and if you stumble,

you still won't fall.

₂₅As long as I can remember,

good people have never

been left helpless,

and their children have never

gone begging for food.

₂₆They gladly give and lend,

and their children

turn out good.

₂₇If you stop sinning

and start doing right,

you will keep living

and be secure for ever.

₂₈The LORD loves justice,

and he won't ever desert

his faithful people.

He always protects them,

but destroys the children

of the wicked.

₂₉God's people will own the land

and live here for ever.

₃₀Words of wisdom come

when good people speak

for justice.

₃₁They remember God's teachings,

and they never take

a wrong step.

₃₂The wicked try to trap

and kill good people,

₃₃but the LORD is on their side,

and he will defend them

when they are on trial.

₃₄Trust the LORD and follow him.

He will give you the land,

and you will see

the wicked destroyed.

₃₅I have seen brutal people

abuse others and grow strong

like trees in rich soil.

₃₆Suddenly they disappeared!

I looked, but they were gone

and no longer there.

₃₇Think of the bright future

waiting for all the families

of honest and innocent

and peace-loving people.

₃₈But not a trace will be left

of the wicked

or their families.

₃₉The LORD protects his people,

and they can come to him

in times of trouble.

₄₀The LORD helps them

and saves them from the wicked

because they run to him.

Psalms 36:1-37:40CEVOpen in Bible reader

Acts 19

The riot in Ephesus

₂₁After all this had happened, Paul decided to visit Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul had said, “From there I will go on to Rome.” ₂₂So he sent his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. But he stayed on in Asia for a while.

₂₃At that time there was serious trouble because of the Lord's Way. ₂₄A silversmith named Demetrius had a business that made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. Those who worked for him earned a lot of money. ₂₅Demetrius brought together everyone who was in the same business and said:

Friends, you know that we make a good living at this. ₂₆But you have seen and heard how this man Paul is upsetting a lot of people, not only in Ephesus, but almost everywhere in Asia. He claims that the gods we humans make are not really gods at all. ₂₇Everyone will start saying terrible things about our business. They will stop respecting the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is worshipped in Asia and all over the world. Our great goddess will be forgotten!

₂₈When the workers heard this, they got angry and started shouting, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!” ₂₉Soon the whole city was in a riot, and some men grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who had come from Macedonia with Paul. Then everyone in the crowd rushed to the place where the town meetings were held.

₃₀Paul wanted to go out and speak to the people, but the Lord's followers would not let him. ₃₁A few of the local officials were friendly to Paul, and they sent someone to warn him not to go.

₃₂Some of the people in the meeting were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Everyone was completely confused, and most of them did not even know why they were there.

₃₃Several of the Jewish leaders pushed a man named Alexander to the front of the crowd and started telling him what to say. He motioned with his hand and tried to explain what was going on. ₃₄But when the crowd saw that he was Jewish, they all shouted for two hours, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”

₃₅Finally, a town official made the crowd be quiet. Then he said:

People of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that our city is the centre for worshipping the great goddess Artemis? Who doesn't know that her image which fell from heaven is here? ₃₆No one can deny this, and so you should calm down and not do anything foolish. ₃₇You have brought men in here who have not robbed temples or spoken against our goddess.

₃₈If Demetrius and his workers have a case against these men, we have courts and judges. Let them take their complaints there. ₃₉But if you want to do more than that, the matter will have to be brought before the city council. ₄₀We could easily be accused of starting a riot today. There is no excuse for it! We cannot even give a reason for this uproar.

₄₁After saying this, he told the people to leave.

Acts 19:21-41CEVOpen in Bible reader