Daily Bible Reading Podcast

NL-Day025 Genesis 41; Job 25; Mark 15:33-47

GENESIS 41: In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God's business. JOB 25: Yesterday Job said, Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of justice for those who serve him? (Job 24:1) And speaking of the helpless and downtrodden he said, "In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers. (v12) Starting in v18 GNT follows a number of other translations in saying that Zophar chimed in, disagreeing that the wicked are indeed punished, contradicting what Job was saying. NLT doesn't do that. When you find a place like that and want more information, it is always a good idea to see if the NET (New English Translation) has a footnote. If you are using the YouVersion Bible reader, and do not see the footnote marks in NET and GNT, click the Menu button, then click Settings, and activate Show Notes. In chapter 25, Bildad only has time to speak a few lines when Job interrupts him. MARK 15b: In the first half of this chapter, Jesus was tried by Pilate, and condemned when Pilate caved in to pressure orchestrated by the religious leaders. The soldiers beat and mocked Jesus, he was nailed to the cross, and then everyone mocked him.   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NL-Day024 Genesis 40; Job 24; Mark 15:1-32

GENESIS 40: In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top. JOB 24: Job continues his response to Eliphaz. MARK 15a: At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. NLT Translation notes: 2 Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.}" [Jesus says "You say" in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because "You have said it" might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like "Those are your words," it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.] 3 [The//Then the] leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe [in/0] him!" Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NL-Day023 Genesis 38-39; Job 23; Mark 14:43-72

GENESIS 38-39: In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt. JOB 23: Yesterday Eliphaz said: GNT 4 It is not because you stand in awe of God that he reprimands you and brings you to trial. 5 No, it's because you have sinned so much; it's because of all the evil you do. And he also said, 21 Now, Job, make peace with God and stop treating him like an enemy; if you do, then he will bless you. 22 Accept the teaching he gives; keep his words in your heart. 23 Yes, you must humbly return to God and put an end to all the evil that is done in your house. 24 Throw away your gold; dump your finest gold in the dry stream bed. 25 Let Almighty God be your gold, and let him be silver, piled high for you. 28 You will succeed in all you do, and light will shine on your path. Beware that some teachers of prosperity in our age say things just like that, and quote such verses without understanding the message of this book. MARK 14b: Yesterday we heard the story of the Last Supper, the prophecy that Peter would deny Jesus three times, and the prayers at Gethsemane.   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NL-Day022 Genesis 37; Job 22; Mark 14:1-42

GENESIS 37: The focus of Genesis 36 was on the descendants of Esau, and the ethnic groups they spawned. JOB 22: In chapter 21, Job gave a very convincing argument that God does not always punish wicked people— refuting what Zophar said. Today Eliphaz begins the third set of exchanges between Job and his 'friends'. Eliphaz' promises at the end of his speech sound rather hollow to me. MARK 14a: Yesterday we read the prophecy chapter of Mark, chapter 13. The theme of that chapter is "Be ready" and Jesus says, "Keep watching for Me."   NLT Translation notes: Gen. 36: 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father's flocks. He worked [with/for] his half brothers, the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing. 6 "Listen to [my/this] dream," he said. 7 "We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!" ==== Job 22:28 [Then you/You] will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. 29 [Then if/If] people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them. ==== Mrk. 14:21For [I,] the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays [me/him]. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!"   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NL-Day021 Genesis 36; Job 21; Mark 13

GENESIS 36: Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to Bethel. At the end of yesterday's reading, Rachel and Grampa Isaak died. JOB 21: In Zophar's angry speech yesterday in chapter 20, he did not directly say that Job was wicked, but he clearly implied it. MARK 13: Chapter 12— which gives an overview of the interactions with the enemies and critics of Jesus, basically marks the end of Jesus' public ministry as related by Mark.   NLT Translation notes: Mrk. 13:8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But [these things are only like//this is only] the first of the birth pains [of a pregnant woman— meaning, more is to come//with more to come]. 14 "The day is coming when you will see [the one who sets up a//the] sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where hef should not be." ([The one reading out loud to others should explain this!//Reader, pay attention!]) "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 26 Then everyone will see [me coming as the Son of Man coming//the Son of Man coming] on the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And [I/he] will send out [my/his] angels to gather [my/his] chosen ones from all over the world— from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. (Verses 29, 32, 34, and 35 are changed similarly to 26-27.) [As explained before, in many languages of the world (including English) a man never speaks of himself as 'he'. I man will use 'I' or 'me' to talk about himself. Since Jesus is talking with his disciples, he was not concealing his identity here with the term 'Son of Man'.] 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never [loose their force//disappear]. 36 Don't let [me/him] find you sleeping when [I arrive//he arrives] without warning. 37 I say to you what I say and to everyone: [Keep watching for me!//Watch for him!]"   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.