Daily Bible CEV January 17 Scroll

A Mustard Seed and Yeast
(Matthew 13.31-33; Mark 4.30-32)

Luke 13 ¹⁸Jesus said, "What is God's kingdom like? What can I compare it with? ¹⁹It is like what happens when someone plants a mustard seed in a garden. The seed grows as big as a tree, and birds nest in its branches."

²⁰Then Jesus said, "What can I compare God's kingdom with? ²¹It is like what happens when a woman mixes yeast into three batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises."

The Narrow Door
(Matthew 7.13, 14, 21-23)

²²As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he taught the people in the towns and villages. ²³Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

Jesus answered:

²⁴Do all you can to go in by the narrow door! A lot of people will try to get in, but will not be able to. ²⁵Once the owner of the house gets up and locks the door, you will be left standing outside. You will knock on the door and say, "Sir, open the door for us!"

But the owner will answer, "I don't know a thing about you!"

²⁶Then you will start saying, "We dined with you, and you taught in our streets."

²⁷But he will say, "I really don't know who you are! Get away from me, you evil people!"

²⁸Then when you have been thrown outside, you will weep and grit your teeth because you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God's kingdom. ²⁹People will come from all directions and sit down to feast in God's kingdom. ³⁰There the ones who are now least important will be the most important, and those who are now most important will be least important.

Jesus and Herod

³¹At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "You had better get away from here! Herod wants to kill you."

³²Jesus said to them:

Go tell that fox, "I am going to force out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and three days later I'll be through." ³³But I am going on my way today and tomorrow and the next day. After all, Jerusalem is the place where prophets are killed.

Jesus Loves Jerusalem
(Matthew 23.37-39)

³⁴Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed the prophets and have stoned the messengers who were sent to you. I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn't let me. ³⁵Now your temple will be deserted. You won't see me again until the time when you say,

"Blessed is the one who comes

in the name of the Lord."

A Wife for Isaac

Genesis 24 Abraham was now a very old man. The LORD had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did. ²One day, Abraham called in his most trusted servant and said to him, "Solemnly promise me ³in the name of the LORD, who rules heaven and earth, that you won't choose a wife for my son Isaac from the people here in the land of Canaan. ⁴Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives."

⁵But the servant asked, "What if the young woman I choose refuses to leave home and come here with me? Should I send Isaac there to look for a wife?"

⁶"No!" Abraham answered. "Don't ever do that, no matter what. ⁷The LORD who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the LORD will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son. ⁸If the woman refuses to come along, you don't have to keep this promise. But don't ever take my son back there." ⁹So the servant gave Abraham his word that he would do everything he had been told to do.

¹⁰Soon after that, the servant loaded ten of Abraham's camels with valuable gifts. Then he set out for the city in northern Syria, where Abraham's brother Nahor lived.

¹¹When he got there, he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. ¹²The servant prayed:

You, LORD, are the God my master Abraham worships. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today. ¹³The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water, ¹⁴and I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.

^15-16While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back, ¹⁷Abraham's servant ran to her and said, "Please let me have a drink of water."

¹⁸"I'll be glad to," she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. ^19-20After he had finished, she said, "Now I'll give your camels all the water they want." She quickly poured out water for them, and she kept going back for more, until his camels had drunk all they wanted. ²¹Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the LORD had chosen.

²²The servant had brought along an expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets. When Rebekah had finished bringing the water, he gave her the ring for her nose and the bracelets for her arms. ²³Then he said, "Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?"

²⁴She answered, "My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. ²⁵We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels."

²⁶Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, ²⁷"I thank you, LORD God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him."

²⁸Rebekah ran straight home and told her family everything. ^29-30Her brother Laban heard her tell what the servant had said, and he saw the ring and the bracelets she was wearing. So Laban ran out to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well. ³¹Then Laban said, "The LORD has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There's no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there's also a place for your camels."

³²Abraham's servant went home with Laban, where Laban's servants unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then they brought water into the house, so Abraham's servant and his men could wash their feet. ³³After that, they brought in food. But the servant said, "Before I eat, I must tell you why I have come."

"Go ahead and tell us," Laban answered.

³⁴The servant explained:

I am Abraham's servant. ³⁵The LORD has been good to my master and has made him very rich. He has given him many sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of silver and gold, and many slaves. ³⁶Sarah, my master's wife, didn't have any children until she was very old. Then she had a son, and my master has given him everything. ³⁷I solemnly promised my master that I would do what he said. And he told me, "Don't choose a wife for my son from the women in this land of Canaan. ³⁸Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for my son from among my relatives."

³⁹I asked my master, "What if the young woman refuses to come with me?"

⁴⁰My master answered, "I have always obeyed the LORD, and he will send his angel to help you find my son a wife from among my own relatives. ⁴¹But if they refuse to let her come back with you, then you are freed from your promise."

⁴²When I came to the well today, I silently prayed, "You, LORD, are the God my master Abraham worships, so please lead me to a wife for his son ⁴³while I am here at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I'll ask her to give me a drink. ⁴⁴If she gives me a drink and offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen."

⁴⁵Even before I had finished praying, Rebekah came by with a water jar on her shoulder. When she had filled the jar, I asked her for a drink. ⁴⁶She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and said, "Have a drink. Then I'll get water for your camels." So I drank, and after that she got some water for my camels. ⁴⁷I asked her who her father was, and she answered, "My father is Bethuel the son of Nahor and Milcah." Right away I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. ⁴⁸Then I bowed my head and gave thanks to the God my master Abraham worships. The LORD had led me straight to my master's relatives, and I had found a wife for his son.

⁴⁹Now please tell me if you are willing to do the right thing for my master. Will you treat him fairly, or do I have to look for another young woman?

⁵⁰Laban and Bethuel answered, "The LORD has done this. We have no choice in the matter. ⁵¹Take Rebekah with you; she can marry your master's son, just as the LORD has said." ⁵²Abraham's servant bowed down and thanked the LORD. ⁵³Then he gave clothing, as well as silver and gold jewelry, to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and her mother.

⁵⁴Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, then spent the night there. The next morning they got up, and the servant told Rebekah's mother and brother, "I would like to go back to my master now."

⁵⁵"Let Rebekah stay with us for a week or ten days," they answered. "Then she may go."

⁵⁶But he said, "Don't make me stay any longer. The LORD has already helped me find a wife for my master's son. Now let us return."

⁵⁷They answered, "Let's ask Rebekah what she wants to do." ⁵⁸They called her and asked, "Are you willing to leave with this man right now?"

"Yes," she answered.

⁵⁹So they agreed to let Rebekah and an old family servant woman leave immediately with Abraham's servant and his men. ⁶⁰They gave Rebekah their blessing and said, "We pray that God will give you many children and grandchildren and that he will help them defeat their enemies." ⁶¹Afterwards, Rebekah and the young women who were to travel with her prepared to leave. Then they got on camels and left with Abraham's servant and his men.

⁶²At that time Isaac was living in the southern part of Canaan near a place called "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me." ^63-65One evening he was walking out in the fields, when suddenly he saw a group of people approaching on camels. So he started toward them. Rebekah saw him coming; she got down from her camel, and asked, "Who is that man?"

"He is my master Isaac," the servant answered. Then Rebekah covered her face with her veil.

⁶⁶The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.

⁶⁷Isaac took Rebekah into the tent where his mother had lived before she died, and Rebekah became his wife. He loved her and was comforted over the loss of his mother.

Psalm 17
[A prayer by David.]
The Prayer of an Innocent Person

¹I am innocent, LORD!

Won't you listen as I pray and beg for help?

I am honest! Please hear my prayer.

²Only you can say that I am innocent,

because only your eyes can see the truth.

³You know my heart,

and even during the night you have tested me

and found me innocent.

I have made up my mind never to tell a lie.

⁴

I don't do like others.

I obey your teachings and am not cruel.

⁵

I have followed you, without ever stumbling.

⁶I pray to you, God, because you will help me.

Listen and answer my prayer!

⁷Show your wonderful love.

Your mighty arm protects those who run to you

for safety from their enemies.

⁸Protect me as you would your very own eyes;

hide me in the shadow of your wings.

⁹Don't let my brutal enemies

attack from all sides and kill me.

¹⁰They refuse to show mercy, and they keep bragging.

¹¹They have caught up with me!

My enemies are everywhere,

eagerly hoping to smear me in the dirt.

¹²They are like hungry lions hunting for food,

or like young lions hiding in ambush.

¹³Do something, LORD! Attack and defeat them.

Take your sword and save me

from those evil people.

¹⁴Use your powerful arm and rescue me

from the hands of mere humans

whose world won't last.

You provide food for those you love.

Their children have plenty,

and their grandchildren will have more than enough.

¹⁵I am innocent, LORD, and I will see your face!

When I awake, all I want is to see you as you are.

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.