Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 37:26-27a (New Living Translation) 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? … 27 let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. What gain is there in murdering our brother? Let’s sell him instead. At least that brings us some spending money. What? Well, at least they were…No, this […]

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Ezra 1:2 (New Living Translation) “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Strange words coming from the King of Persia, you know, one of […]

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Ezra 7:26 (New Living Translation) Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment. This is part of a letter from a Gentile ruler to Ezra, a Jew. Note the last word, imprisonment. God’s law, […]

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Isaiah 40: (New Living Translation) 1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.” 3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through […]

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Judges 13:1 (New Living Translation) Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years. Bad times; very bad times. God handed His people over to the Philistines. The Philistines oppressed God’s people politically for forty years. That political persecution was […]

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1 Samuel 1:7 (New Living Translation) Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. Peninnah and Hannah were wives of Elkanah of Ramah. Elkanah brought his wives and children to Shiloh once a year […]

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Psalms 46:8-11 (New Living Translation) 8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world. 9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I […]

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Psalms 49:11-12 (American Standard Version) 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, And their dwelling-places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. 12 But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. I love to build things (see, for example, this […]

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Psalms 51:10 (American Standard Version) Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. I use an older translation today. A little more poetic. I desire a clean heart. One that isn’t soiled with emotions that are bad for my outlook. Some examples: self-pity jealousy and envy hatred Oh […]

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Zechariah 8:16-17 (New Living Translation) 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, […]

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