One Year Bible Expressions - Flipbook - Page 68
J A N U A R Y
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was carrying twins. 28While she was in
labor, one of the babies reached out his
hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a
scarlet string around the child’s wrist,
announcing, “This one came out first.”
29 But then he pulled back his hand, and
out came his brother! “What!” the midwife exclaimed. “How did you break out
first?” So he was named Perez.* 30Then
the baby with the scarlet string on his
wrist was born, and he was named
Zerah.*
37:3a Hebrew Israel; also in 37:13. See note on 35:21.
37:3b Traditionally rendered a coat of many colors. The
exact meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 37:26 Hebrew
cover his blood. 37:28 Hebrew 20 [shekels], about
8 ounces or 228 grams in weight. 37:35 Hebrew go down
to Sheol. 37:36 Hebrew the Medanites. The relationship
between the Midianites and Medanites is unclear; compare
37:28. See also 25:2. 38:29 Perez means “breaking out.”
38:30 Zerah means “scarlet” or “brightness.”
MATTHEW 12:22-45
Then a demon-possessed man, who was
blind and couldn’t speak, was brought
to Jesus. He healed the man so that he
could both speak and see. 23 The crowd
was amazed and asked, “Could it be that
Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard
about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his
power from Satan,* the prince of demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil
war is doomed. A town or family
splintered by feuding will fall apart.
26And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is
divided and fighting against himself.
His own kingdom will not survive.
27And if I am empowered by Satan, what
about your own exorcists? They cast out
demons, too, so they will condemn you
for what you have said. 28But if I am
casting out demons by the Spirit of
God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a
strong man and plunder his goods?
Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then
plunder his house.
30“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes
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me, and anyone who isn’t working with
me is actually working against me.
31“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which
will never be forgiven. 32Anyone who
speaks against the Son of Man can be
forgiven, but anyone who speaks
against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the
world to come.
33“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a
tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a
tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34You
brood of snakes! How could evil men
like you speak what is good and right?
For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35A good person
produces good things from the treasury
of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an
evil heart. 36And I tell you this, you must
give an account on judgment day for
every idle word you speak. 37 The words
you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
38One day some teachers of religious
law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil,
adulterous generation would demand a
miraculous sign; but the only sign I will
give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was in the belly of
the great fish for three days and three
nights, so will the Son of Man be in the
heart of the earth for three days and
three nights.
41“The people of Nineveh will stand
up against this generation on judgment
day and condemn it, for they repented
of their sins at the preaching of Jonah.
Now someone greater than Jonah is
here—but you refuse to repent. 42 The
queen of Sheba* will also stand up
against this generation on judgment day
and condemn it, for she came from a
distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
43“When an evil* spirit leaves a per-
