Daily Bible CEV January 16 Scroll

Turn Back to God

Luke 13 About this same time Jesus was told that Pilate had given orders for some people from Galilee to be killed while they were offering sacrifices. ²Jesus replied:

Do you think that these people were worse sinners than everyone else in Galilee just because of what happened to them? ³Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also be killed. ⁴What about those eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse than everyone else in Jerusalem? ⁵Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also die.

A Story about a Fig Tree

⁶Jesus then told them this story:

A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. One day he went out to pick some figs, but he didn't find any. ⁷So he said to the gardener, "For three years I have come looking for figs on this tree, and I haven't found any yet. Chop it down! Why should it take up space?"

⁸The gardener answered, "Master, leave it for another year. I'll dig around it and put some manure on it to make it grow. ⁹Maybe it will have figs on it next year. If it doesn't, you can have it cut down."

Healing a Woman on the Sabbath

¹⁰One Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a Jewish meeting place, ¹¹and a woman was there who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She was completely bent over and could not straighten up. ¹²When Jesus saw the woman, he called her over and said, "You are now well." ¹³He placed his hands on her, and right away she stood up straight and praised God.

¹⁴The man in charge of the meeting place was angry because Jesus had healed someone on the Sabbath. So he said to the people, "Each week has six days when we can work. Come and be healed on one of those days, but not on the Sabbath."

¹⁵The Lord replied, "Are you trying to fool someone? Won't any one of you untie your ox or donkey and lead it out to drink on a Sabbath? ¹⁶This woman belongs to the family of Abraham, but Satan has kept her bound for eighteen years. Isn't it right to set her free on the Sabbath?" ¹⁷Jesus' words made his enemies ashamed. But everyone else in the crowd was happy about the wonderful things he was doing.

Sarah's Death and Burial

Genesis 23 ^1-2When Sarah was one hundred twenty-seven years old, she died in Kiriath-Arba, better known as Hebron, in the land of Canaan. After Abraham had mourned for her, ³he went to the Hittites and said, ⁴"I live as a foreigner in your land, and I don't own any property where I can bury my wife. Please let me buy a piece of land."

^5-6"Sir," they answered, "you are an important man. Choose the best place to bury your wife. None of us would refuse you a resting place for your dead."

⁷Abraham bowed down ⁸and replied, "If you are willing to let me bury my wife here, please ask Zohar's son Ephron ⁹to sell me Machpelah Cave at the end of his field. I'll pay what it's worth, and all of you can be witnesses."

¹⁰Ephron was sitting there near the city gate, when Abraham made this request, and he answered, ¹¹"Sir, the whole field, including the cave, is yours. With my own people as witnesses, I freely give it to you as a burial place for your dead."

¹²Once again, Abraham bowed down ¹³and said to Ephron, "In front of these witnesses, I offer you the full price, so I can bury my wife. Please accept my offer."

^14-15"But sir," the man replied, "the property is worth only four hundred pieces of silver. Why should we haggle over such a small amount? Take the land. It's yours."

^16-18Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid him the four hundred pieces of silver in front of everyone at the city gate. That's how Abraham got Ephron's property east of Hebron, which included the field with all of its trees, as well as Machpelah Cave at the end of the field. ¹⁹So Abraham buried his wife Sarah in Machpelah Cave that was in the field ²⁰he had bought from the Hittites.

Psalm 16
[A special psalm by David.]
The Best Choice

¹Protect me, LORD God! I run to you for safety,

²and I have said, "Only you are my Lord!

Every good thing I have is a gift from you."

³Your people are wonderful, and they make me happy,

⁴

but worshipers of other gods will have much sorrow.

I refuse to offer sacrifices of blood to those gods

or worship in their name.

⁵You, LORD, are all I want!

You are my choice, and you keep me safe.

⁶You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright.

⁷I praise you, LORD, for being my guide.

Even in the darkest night,

your teachings fill my mind.

⁸I will always look to you,

as you stand beside me and protect me from fear.

⁹With all my heart, I will celebrate,

and I can safely rest.

¹⁰I am your chosen one.

You won't leave me in the grave

or let my body decay.

¹¹You have shown me the path to life,

and you make me glad by being near to me.

Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful.

These daily Bible readings from the Contemporary English Version (CEV) are published by BibleNetUSA. The web site and BibleCard® designs are by iCreative. BibleCard® images copyright iCreative. All rights reserved.