NLT One Year Bible - Flipbook - Page 31
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J A N U A R Y
PROVERBS 2:1-5
My child,* listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to
wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for
understanding. Search for them as you
would for silver; seek them like hidden
treasures. Then you will understand
what it means to fear the Lord, and you
will gain knowledge of God.
2:1 Hebrew My son.
J A N U A R Y
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JANUARY
8
GENESIS 18:16–19:38
Then the men got up from their meal
and looked out toward Sodom. As they
left, Abraham went with them to send
them on their way.
17“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. 18“For Abraham
will certainly become a great and
mighty nation, and all the nations of the
earth will be blessed through him. 19 I
have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep
the way of the Lord by doing what is
right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”
20So the Lord told Abraham, “I have
heard a great outcry from Sodom and
Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21I am going down to see if their
actions are as wicked as I have heard. If
not, I want to know.”
22 The other men turned and headed
toward Sodom, but the Lord remained
with Abraham. 23Abraham approached
him and said, “Will you sweep away
both the righteous and the wicked?
24Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still
sweep it away and not spare it for their
sakes? 25 Surely you wouldn’t do such a
thing, destroying the righteous along
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with the wicked. Why, you would be
treating the righteous and the wicked
exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t
do that! Should not the Judge of all the
earth do what is right?”
26And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty
righteous people in Sodom, I will spare
the entire city for their sake.”
27 Then Abraham spoke again. “Since
I have begun, let me speak further to my
Lord, even though I am but dust and
ashes. 28Suppose there are only fortyfive righteous people rather than fifty?
Will you destroy the whole city for lack
of five?”
And the Lord said, “I will not destroy
it if I find forty-five righteous people
there.”
29 Then Abraham pressed his request
further. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”
30“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,”
Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are
found?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”
31Then Abraham said, “Since I have
dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not
destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please
don’t be angry with me if I speak one
more time. Suppose only ten are found
there?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not
destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 When the Lord had finished his
conversation with Abraham, he went on
his way, and Abraham returned to his
tent.
19:1That evening the two angels came to
the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot
was sitting there, and when he saw
them, he stood up to meet them. Then
he welcomed them and bowed with his
face to the ground. 2“My lords,” he said,
“come to my home to wash your feet,
and be my guests for the night. You may
