1 Chronicles 24, 25, 1 peter 5, Micah 3, Luke 12

1 Chronicles 24, 25,

1 These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron: The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
 
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests.
 
3 With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelech a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering.
 
4 A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar's descendants than among Ithamar's, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar's descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar's descendants.
 
5 They divided them impartially by drawing lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.
 
6 The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites-one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.
 
7 The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
 
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
 
9 the fifth to Malkijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
 
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
 
11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
 
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
 
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
 
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
 
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
 
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
 
17 the twenty-first to Jakin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
 
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
 
19 This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
 
20 As for the rest of the descendants of Levi: from the sons of Amram: Shubael; from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.
 
21 As for Rehabiah, from his sons: Isshiah was the first.
 
22 From the Izharites: Shelomoth; from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.
 
23 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.
 
24 The son of Uzziel: Micah; from the sons of Micah: Shamir.
 
25 The brother of Micah: Isshiah; from the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.
 
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The son of Jaaziah: Beno.
 
27 The sons of Merari: from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri.
 
28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
 
29 From Kish: the son of Kish: Jerahmeel.
 
30 And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the Levites, according to their families.
 
31 They also cast lots, just as their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

1 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:
 
2 From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision.
 
3 As for Jeduthun, from his sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the LORD.
 
4 As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth.
 
5 All these were sons of Heman the king's seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
 
6 All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.
 
7 Along with their relatives-all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD-they numbered 288.
 
8 Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties.
 
9 The first lot, which was for Asaph, fell to Joseph, his sons and relatives, 12 the second to Gedaliah, he and his relatives and sons, 12
 
10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and relatives, 12
 
11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and relatives, 12
 
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
14 the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and relatives, 12
 
18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and relatives, 12
 
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
20 the thirteenth to Shubael, his sons and relatives, 12
 
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth, his sons and relatives, 12
 
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
25 the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and relatives, 12
 
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and relatives, 12
 
27 the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and relatives, 12
 
28 the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and relatives, 12
 
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and relatives, 12
 
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and relatives, 12
 
31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and relatives, 12

1 peter 5,

1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:
 
2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
 
3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
 
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
 
5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
 
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
 
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
 
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
 
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
 
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
 
11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
 
12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.
 
13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.
 
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Micah 3,

1 Then I said, "Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice,
 
2 you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;
 
3 who eat my people's flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?"
 
4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.
 
5 This is what the LORD says: "As for the prophets who lead my people astray, if one feeds them, they proclaim 'peace'; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him.
 
6 Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them.
 
7 The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God."
 
8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.
 
9 Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right;
 
10 who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness.
 
11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us."
 
12 Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

Luke 12

1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
 
2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
 
3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
 
4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
 
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
 
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
 
7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
 
8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
 
9 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
 
10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
 
11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
 
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
 
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
 
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"
 
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
 
16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
 
17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
 
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
 
19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
 
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
 
21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
 
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
 
23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
 
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
 
25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
 
26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
 
27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
 
28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
 
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
 
30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
 
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
 
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
 
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
 
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
 
36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
 
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
 
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
 
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
 
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
 
41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"
 
42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
 
43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
 
44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
 
45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
 
46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
 
47 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
 
48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
 
49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
 
50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!
 
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
 
52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
 
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
 
54 He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does.
 
55 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is.
 
56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
 
57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
 
58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
 
59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."