Judges 2, Acts 6, Jeremiah 15, Mark 1

Judges 2,

1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you,
 
2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this?
 
3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."
 
4 When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud,
 
5 and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the LORD.
 
6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
 
7 The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.
 
8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten.
 
9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
 
10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.
 
11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals.
 
12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger
 
13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
 
14 In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
 
15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
 
16 Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
 
17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way in which their fathers had walked, the way of obedience to the LORD's commands.
 
18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them.
 
19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
 
20 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and said, "Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me,
 
21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
 
22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did."
 
23 The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.
 

Acts 6,

1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
 
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
 
3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
 
4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
 
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
 
6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
 
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
 
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
 
9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen,
 
10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
 
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
 
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
 
13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
 
14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
 
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
 

Jeremiah 15,

1 Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!
 
2 And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: " 'Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.'
 
3 "I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," declares the LORD, "the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.
 
4 I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
 
5 "Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are?
 
6 You have rejected me," declares the LORD. "You keep on backsliding. So I will lay hands on you and destroy you; I can no longer show compassion.
 
7 I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the city gates of the land. I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people, for they have not changed their ways.
 
8 I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror.
 
9 The mother of seven will grow faint and breathe her last. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. I will put the survivors to the sword before their enemies," declares the LORD.
 
10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.
 
11 The LORD said, "Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress.
 
12 "Can a man break iron-iron from the north-or bronze?
 
13 Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country.
 
14 I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you."
 
15 You understand, O LORD; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering-do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.
 
16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.
 
17 I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.
 
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?
 
19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
 
20 I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD.
 
21 "I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel."
 

Mark 1

1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
 
2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"-
 
3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "
 
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
 
5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
 
6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
 
7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
 
8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
 
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
 
10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
 
11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
 
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,
 
13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
 
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
 
15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
 
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
 
17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
 
18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
 
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.
 
20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
 
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.
 
22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
 
23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
 
24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!"
 
25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
 
26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
 
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching-and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
 
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
 
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
 
30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.
 
31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
 
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
 
33 The whole town gathered at the door,
 
34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
 
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
 
36 Simon and his companions went to look for him,
 
37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
 
38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages-so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
 
39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
 
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
 
41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"
 
42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
 
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:
 
44 "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."
 
45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.