Judges 9, Acts 13, Jeremiah 22, Mark 8

Judges 9,

1 Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother's clan,
 
2 "Ask all the citizens of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?' Remember, I am your flesh and blood."
 
3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."
 
4 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventurers, who became his followers.
 
5 He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.
 
6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.
 
7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, "Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
 
8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'
 
9 "But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'
 
10 "Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.'
 
11 "But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'
 
12 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.'
 
13 "But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?'
 
14 "Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'
 
15 "The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'
 
16 "Now if you have acted honorably and in good faith when you made Abimelech king, and if you have been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family, and if you have treated him as he deserves-
 
17 and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian
 
18 (but today you have revolted against my father's family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother)-
 
19 if then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too!
 
20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!"
 
21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
 
22 After Abimelech had governed Israel three years,
 
23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech.
 
24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
 
25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelech.
 
26 Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his brothers into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him.
 
27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.
 
28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should be subject to him? Isn't he Jerub-Baal's son, and isn't Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelech?
 
29 If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelech, 'Call out your whole army!' "
 
30 When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry.
 
31 Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
 
32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields.
 
33 In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do whatever your hand finds to do."
 
34 So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies.
 
35 Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance to the city gate just as Abimelech and his soldiers came out from their hiding place.
 
36 When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul replied, "You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men."
 
37 But Gaal spoke up again: "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and a company is coming from the direction of the soothsayers' tree."
 
38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your big talk now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should be subject to him?' Aren't these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!"
 
39 So Gaal led out the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelech.
 
40 Abimelech chased him, and many fell wounded in the flight-all the way to the entrance to the gate.
 
41 Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
 
42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
 
43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them.
 
44 Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance to the city gate. Then two companies rushed upon those in the fields and struck them down.
 
45 All that day Abimelech pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it.
 
46 On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
 
47 When Abimelech heard that they had assembled there,
 
48 he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, "Quick! Do what you have seen me do!"
 
49 So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire over the people inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.
 
50 Next Abimelech went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it.
 
51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women-all the people of the city-fled. They locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
 
52 Abimelech went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire,
 
53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
 
54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can't say, 'A woman killed him.' " So his servant ran him through, and he died.
 
55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.
 
56 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
 
57 God also made the men of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them.

Acts 13,

1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
 
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
 
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
 
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
 
5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
 
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
 
7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
 
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
 
9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
 
10 "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
 
11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
 
12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
 
13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
 
14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.
 
15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak."
 
16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!
 
17 The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country,
 
18 he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert,
 
19 he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their inheritance.
 
20 All this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
 
21 Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
 
22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'
 
23 "From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.
 
24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.
 
25 As John was completing his work, he said: 'Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.'
 
26 "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
 
27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
 
28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
 
29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
 
30 But God raised him from the dead,
 
31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
 
32 "We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers
 
33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: " 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'
 
34 The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: " 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.'
 
35 So it is stated elsewhere: " 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.'
 
36 "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.
 
37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
 
38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
 
39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
 
40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
 
41 " 'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.' "
 
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
 
43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
 
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
 
45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
 
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
 
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: " 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' "
 
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
 
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
 
50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
 
51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
 
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 22,

1 This is what the LORD says: "Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there:
 
2 'Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on David's throne-you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.
 
3 This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
 
4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.
 
5 But if you do not obey these commands, declares the LORD, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.' "
 
6 For this is what the LORD says about the palace of the king of Judah: "Though you are like Gilead to me, like the summit of Lebanon, I will surely make you like a desert, like towns not inhabited.
 
7 I will send destroyers against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut up your fine cedar beams and throw them into the fire.
 
8 "People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?'
 
9 And the answer will be: 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.' "
 
10 Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss; rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled, because he will never return nor see his native land again.
 
11 For this is what the LORD says about Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: "He will never return.
 
12 He will die in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again."
 
13 "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.
 
14 He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red.
 
15 "Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him.
 
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD.
 
17 "But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion."
 
18 Therefore this is what the LORD says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: "They will not mourn for him: 'Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!' They will not mourn for him: 'Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!'
 
19 He will have the burial of a donkey-dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem."
 
20 "Go up to Lebanon and cry out, let your voice be heard in Bashan, cry out from Abarim, for all your allies are crushed.
 
21 I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, 'I will not listen!' This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed me.
 
22 The wind will drive all your shepherds away, and your allies will go into exile. Then you will be ashamed and disgraced because of all your wickedness.
 
23 You who live in 'Lebanon,' who are nestled in cedar buildings, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain like that of a woman in labor!
 
24 "As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.
 
25 I will hand you over to those who seek your life, those you fear-to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Babylonians.
 
26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die.
 
27 You will never come back to the land you long to return to."
 
28 Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot, an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled out, cast into a land they do not know?
 
29 O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!
 
30 This is what the LORD says: "Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah."

Mark 8

1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said,
 
2 "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.
 
3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."
 
4 His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"
 
5 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied.
 
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so.
 
7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.
 
8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
 
9 About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away,
 
10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
 
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.
 
12 He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."
 
13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
 
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
 
15 "Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod."
 
16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread."
 
17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
 
18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?
 
19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied.
 
20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven."
 
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
 
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
 
23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
 
24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
 
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
 
26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."
 
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
 
28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
 
29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
 
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
 
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
 
32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
 
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
 
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
 
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
 
36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
 
37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
 
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."