One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible - Flipbook - Page 105
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17 But Pha
raoh shouted, “You’re just lazy!
Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and
offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ 18 Now get back to
work! No straw will be given to you, but you
must still produce the full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen could see that they
were in serious trouble when they were told,
“You must not reduce the number of bricks
you make each day.” 20 As they left Pharaoh’s
court, they confronted M
oses and A
aron, who
were waiting outside for them. 21 The foremen
said to them, “May the Lord judge and punish
you for making us stink before Pharaoh and
his officials. You have put a sword into their
hands, an excuse to kill us!”
4:6 Or with leprosy. The Hebrew word used here can describe
various skin diseases. 4:25 The Hebrew word for “feet” may
refer here to the male sex organ.
MATTHEW 18:1‑20
About that time the disciples came to J esus
and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom
of Heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to him and put
the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell
you the truth, unless you turn from your sins
and become like little children, you will never
get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone
who becomes as humble as this little child is
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child
like this on my behalf* is welcoming me.
6 But if you cause one of these little ones who
trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better
for you to have a large millstone tied around
your neck and be drowned in the depths of
the sea.
7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because
it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person
who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or
foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only
one hand or one foot than to be thrown into
eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out
and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal
life with only one eye than to have two eyes
and be thrown into the fire of hell.*
10 “Beware that you d
on’t look down on any
of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven
their angels are always in the presence of my
heavenly Father.*
12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of
them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t
he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills
and go out to search for the one that is lost?
13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will
January 27
rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine
that d
idn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it
is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one
of these little ones should perish.
15 “If another believer* sins against you,*
go privately and point out the offense. If the
other person listens and confesses it, you
have won that person back. 16 But if you are
unsuccessful, take one or two others with you
and go back again, so that everything you say
may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your
case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as
a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid*
on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and
whatever you permit* on earth will be permitted in heaven.
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree
here on earth concerning anything you ask,
my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For
where two or three gather together as my followers,* I am there among them.”
18:5 Greek in my name.
18:9 Greek the Gehenna of fire.
18:10 Some manuscripts add verse 11, And the Son of Man came
to save those who are lost. Compare Luke 19:10. 18:15a Greek
18:15b Some manuscripts do not include
If your brother.
18:18a Or bind, or lock.
18:18b Or loose, or open.
against you.
18:20 Greek gather together in my name.
PSALM 22:19‑31
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
O Lord, do not stay far away!
You are my strength; come quickly
to my aid!
Save me from the sword;
spare my precious life from these dogs.
Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
and from the horns of these wild oxen.
I will proclaim your name to my brothers
and sisters.*
I will praise you among your assembled
people.
Praise the Lord, all you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you
descendants of Israel!
For he has not ignored or belittled the
suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.
I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of
those who worship you.
The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with
everlasting joy.
