Daily Bible GNT December 14 Scroll

Christ's Humility and Greatness

Philippians 2 Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another. ²I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. ³Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. ⁴And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. ⁵The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:

⁶He always had the nature of God,

but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.

⁷Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had,

and took the nature of a servant.

He became like a human being

and appeared in human likeness.

⁸He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death--

his death on the cross.

⁹For this reason God raised him to the highest place above

and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.

¹⁰And so, in honor of the name of Jesus

all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below

will fall on their knees,

¹¹and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The LORD's Will and Human Defiance

Ezekiel 20 It was the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of our exile. Some of the leaders of the Israelite community came to consult me about the LORD's will, and they sat down in front of me. ²Then the LORD spoke to me. ³"Mortal man," he said, "speak to these leaders and tell them that the Sovereign LORD is saying: You have come to ask my will, have you? As surely as I am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken.

⁴"Are you ready to pass sentence on them, mortal man? Then do so. Remind them of the disgusting things their ancestors did. ⁵Tell them what I am saying. When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: I am the LORD your God. ⁶It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. ⁷I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am the LORD their God. ⁸But they defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt. ⁹But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name, for in the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt.

¹⁰"And so I led them out of Egypt into the desert. ¹¹I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. ¹²I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, the LORD, make them holy. ¹³But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them. ¹⁴But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt. ¹⁵So I made a vow in the desert that I would not take them to the land I had given them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. ¹⁶I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath--they preferred to worship their idols.

¹⁷"But then I took pity on them. I decided not to kill them there in the desert. ¹⁸Instead, I warned the young people among them: Do not keep the laws your ancestors made; do not follow their customs or defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹I am the LORD your God. Obey my laws and my commands. ²⁰Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am the LORD your God.

²¹"But that generation also defied me. They broke my laws and did not keep my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to kill them all. ²²But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt. ²³So I made another vow in the desert. I vowed that I would scatter them all over the world. ²⁴I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served.

²⁵"Then I gave them laws that are not good and commands that do not bring life. ²⁶I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am the LORD.

²⁷"Now then, mortal man, tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness. ²⁸I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings. ²⁹I asked them: What are these high places where you go? So they have been called 'High Places' ever since. ³⁰Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols? ³¹Even today you offer the same gifts and defile yourselves with the same idols by sacrificing your children to them in the fire. And then you Israelites still come to ask what my will is! As surely as I, the Sovereign LORD, am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. ³²You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be.

God Punishes and Forgives

³³"As surely as I, the Sovereign LORD, am the living God, I warn you that in my anger I will rule over you with a strong hand, with all my power. ³⁴I will show you my power and my anger when I gather you together and bring you back from all the countries where you have been scattered. ³⁵I will bring you into the 'Desert of the Nations,' and there I will condemn you to your face. ³⁶I will now condemn you just as I condemned your ancestors in the Sinai Desert," says the Sovereign LORD.

³⁷"I will take firm control of you and make you obey my covenant. ³⁸I will take away from among you those who are rebellious and sinful. I will take them out of the lands where they are living now, but I will not let them return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

³⁹The Sovereign LORD says, "And now, all you Israelites, suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols. ⁴⁰There in the land, on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts. ⁴¹After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy. ⁴²When I bring you back to Israel, the land that I promised I would give to your ancestors, then you will know that I am the LORD. ⁴³Then you will remember all the disgraceful things you did and how you defiled yourselves. You will be disgusted with yourselves because of all the evil things you did. ⁴⁴When I act to protect my honor, you Israelites will know that I am the LORD, because I do not deal with you as your wicked, evil actions deserve." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

Fire in the South

⁴⁵The LORD spoke to me. ⁴⁶"Mortal man," he said, "look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south. ⁴⁷Tell the southern forest to hear what the Sovereign LORD is saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames. ⁴⁸They will all see that I, the LORD, set it on fire and that no one can put it out."

⁴⁹But I protested, "Sovereign LORD, don't make me do it! Everyone is already complaining that I always speak in riddles."

Israel, A Light to the Nations

Isaiah 49 Listen to me, distant nations,

you people who live far away!

Before I was born, the LORD chose me

and appointed me to be his servant.

²He made my words as sharp as a sword.

With his own hand he protected me.

He made me like an arrow,

sharp and ready for use.

³He said to me, "Israel, you are my servant;

because of you, people will praise me."

⁴I said, "I have worked, but how hopeless it is!

I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing."

Yet I can trust the LORD to defend my cause;

he will reward me for what I do.

⁵Before I was born, the LORD appointed me;

he made me his servant to bring back his people,

to bring back the scattered people of Israel.

The LORD gives me honor;

he is the source of my strength.

⁶The LORD said to me,

"I have a greater task for you, my servant.

Not only will you restore to greatness

the people of Israel who have survived,

but I will also make you a light to the nations--

so that all the world may be saved."

⁷Israel's holy God and savior says

to the one who is deeply despised,

who is hated by the nations

and is the servant of rulers:

"Kings will see you released

and will rise to show their respect;

princes also will see it,

and they will bow low to honor you."

This will happen because the LORD has chosen his servant;

the holy God of Israel keeps his promises.

The Restoration of Jerusalem

⁸The LORD says to his people,

"When the time comes to save you, I will show you favor

and answer your cries for help.

I will guard and protect you

and through you make a covenant with all peoples.

I will let you settle once again

in your land that is now laid waste.

⁹I will say to the prisoners, 'Go free!'

and to those who are in darkness,

'Come out to the light!'

They will be like sheep that graze on the hills;

¹⁰

they will never be hungry or thirsty.

Sun and desert heat will not hurt them,

for they will be led by one who loves them.

He will lead them to springs of water.

¹¹"I will make a highway across the mountains

and prepare a road for my people to travel.

¹²My people will come from far away,

from the north and the west,

and from Aswan in the south."

¹³Sing, heavens! Shout for joy, earth!

Let the mountains burst into song!

The LORD will comfort his people;

he will have pity on his suffering people.

¹⁴But the people of Jerusalem said,

"The LORD has abandoned us!

He has forgotten us."

¹⁵So the LORD answers,

"Can a woman forget her own baby

and not love the child she bore?

Even if a mother should forget her child,

I will never forget you.

¹⁶Jerusalem, I can never forget you!

I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

¹⁷"Those who will rebuild you are coming soon,

and those who destroyed you will leave.

¹⁸Look around and see what is happening!

Your people are assembling--they are coming home!

As surely as I am the living God,

you will be proud of your people,

as proud as a bride is of her jewels.

¹⁹"Your country was ruined and desolate--

but now it will be too small

for those who are coming to live there.

And those who left you in ruins

will be far removed from you.

²⁰Your people who were born in exile

will one day say to you,

'This land is too small--

we need more room to live in!'

²¹Then you will say to yourself,

'Who bore all these children for me?

I lost my children and could have no more.

I was exiled and driven away--

who brought these children up?

I was left all alone--

where did these children come from?'"

²²The Sovereign LORD says to his people:

"I will signal to the nations,

and they will bring your children home.

²³Kings will be like fathers to you;

queens will be like mothers.

They will bow low before you and honor you;

they will humbly show their respect for you.

Then you will know that I am the LORD;

no one who waits for my help will be disappointed."

²⁴Can you take away a soldier's loot?

Can you rescue the prisoners of a tyrant?

²⁵The LORD replies,

"That is just what is going to happen.

The soldier's prisoners will be taken away,

and the tyrant's loot will be seized.

I will fight against whoever fights you,

and I will rescue your children.

²⁶I will make your oppressors kill each other;

they will be drunk with murder and rage.

Then all people will know that I am the LORD,

the one who saves you and sets you free.

They will know that I am Israel's powerful God."

This reading is from The Holy Bible, Today's English Version, Second Edition copyright © American Bible Society, 1992;
Old Testament copyright © American Bible Society, 1976, 1992; New Testament © American Bible Society, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992.

These daily Bible readings from the Good News Translation (GNT), formerly the Today's English Version (TEV), are published by BibleNetUSA. The web site and BibleCard® designs are by iCreative. All BibleCard® images are copyrighted by iCreative. All rights reserved.