Daily Bible GNT November 02 Scroll

False Teachers

1 Timothy 4 The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons. ²Such teachings are spread by deceitful liars, whose consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron. ³Such people teach that it is wrong to marry and to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten, after a prayer of thanks, by those who are believers and have come to know the truth. ⁴Everything that God has created is good; nothing is to be rejected, but everything is to be received with a prayer of thanks, ⁵because the word of God and the prayer make it acceptable to God.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

⁶If you give these instructions to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, as you feed yourself spiritually on the words of faith and of the true teaching which you have followed. ⁷But keep away from those godless legends, which are not worth telling. Keep yourself in training for a godly life. ⁸Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. ⁹This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed. ¹⁰We struggle and work hard, because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.

¹¹Give them these instructions and these teachings. ¹²Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity. ¹³Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you, which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all. ¹⁶Watch yourself and watch your teaching. Keep on doing these things, because if you do, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

King Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
(2 Kings 20.1-11; 2 Chronicles 32.24-26)

Isaiah 38 About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and said to him, "The LORD tells you that you are to put everything in order because you will not recover. Get ready to die."

²Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed: ³"Remember, LORD, that I have served you faithfully and loyally, and that I have always tried to do what you wanted me to." And he began to cry bitterly.

⁴Then the LORD commanded Isaiah ⁵to go back to Hezekiah and say to him, "I, the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will let you live fifteen years longer. ⁶I will rescue you and this city of Jerusalem from the emperor of Assyria, and I will continue to protect the city."

²¹Isaiah told the king to put a paste made of figs on his boil, and he would get well. ²²Then King Hezekiah asked, "What is the sign to prove that I will be able to go to the Temple?"

⁷Isaiah replied, "The LORD will give you a sign to prove that he will keep his promise. ⁸On the stairway built by King Ahaz, the LORD will make the shadow go back ten steps." And the shadow moved back ten steps.

⁹After Hezekiah recovered from his illness, he wrote this song of praise:

¹⁰I thought that in the prime of life

I was going to the world of the dead,

Never to live out my life.

¹¹I thought that in this world of the living

I would never again see the LORD

Or any living person.

¹²My life was cut off and ended,

Like a tent that is taken down,

Like cloth that is cut from a loom.

I thought that God was ending my life.

¹³All night I cried out with pain,

As if a lion were breaking my bones.

I thought that God was ending my life.

¹⁴My voice was thin and weak,

And I moaned like a dove.

My eyes grew tired from looking to heaven.

LORD, rescue me from all this trouble.

¹⁵What can I say? The LORD has done this.

My heart is bitter, and I cannot sleep.

¹⁶Lord, I will live for you, for you alone;

Heal me and let me live.

¹⁷My bitterness will turn into peace.

You save my life from all danger;

You forgive all my sins.

¹⁸No one in the world of the dead can praise you;

The dead cannot trust in your faithfulness.

¹⁹It is the living who praise you,

As I praise you now.

Parents tell their children how faithful you are.

²⁰LORD, you have healed me.

We will play harps and sing your praise,

Sing praise in your Temple as long as we live.

Messengers from Babylonia
(2 Kings 20.12-19)

Isaiah 39 About that same time the king of Babylonia, Merodach Baladan, son of Baladan, heard that King Hezekiah had been sick, so he sent him a letter and a present. ²Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them his wealth--his silver and gold, his spices and perfumes, and all his military equipment. There was nothing in his storerooms or anywhere in his kingdom that he did not show them. ³Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, "Where did these messengers come from and what did they say to you?"

Hezekiah answered, "They came from a very distant country, from Babylonia."

⁴"What did they see in the palace?"

"They saw everything. There is nothing in the storerooms that I didn't show them."

⁵Isaiah then told the king, "The LORD Almighty says that ⁶a time is coming when everything in your palace, everything that your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylonia. Nothing will be left. ⁷Some of your own direct descendants will be taken away and made eunuchs to serve in the palace of the king of Babylonia."

⁸King Hezekiah understood this to mean that there would be peace and security during his lifetime, so he replied, "The message you have given me from the LORD is good."

Obedience to the Law of the LORD

Psalm 119¹²¹I have done what is right and good;

don't abandon me to my enemies!

¹²²Promise that you will help your servant;

don't let the arrogant oppress me!

¹²³My eyes are tired from watching for your saving help,

for the deliverance you promised.

¹²⁴Treat me according to your constant love,

and teach me your commands.

¹²⁵I am your servant; give me understanding,

so that I may know your teachings.

¹²⁶LORD, it is time for you to act,

because people are disobeying your law.

¹²⁷I love your commands more than gold,

more than the finest gold.

¹²⁸And so I follow all your instructions;

I hate all wrong ways.

Desire to Obey the Law of the LORD

¹²⁹Your teachings are wonderful;

I obey them with all my heart.

¹³⁰The explanation of your teachings gives light

and brings wisdom to the ignorant.

¹³¹In my desire for your commands

I pant with open mouth.

¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me

as you do on all those who love you.

¹³³As you have promised, keep me from falling;

don't let me be overcome by evil.

¹³⁴Save me from those who oppress me,

so that I may obey your commands.

¹³⁵Bless me with your presence

and teach me your laws.

¹³⁶My tears pour down like a river,

because people do not obey your law.

The Justice of the Law of the LORD

¹³⁷You are righteous, LORD,

and your laws are just.

¹³⁸The rules that you have given

are completely fair and right.

¹³⁹My anger burns in me like a fire,

because my enemies disregard your commands.

¹⁴⁰How certain your promise is!

How I love it!

¹⁴¹I am unimportant and despised,

but I do not neglect your teachings.

¹⁴²Your righteousness will last forever,

and your law is always true.

¹⁴³I am filled with trouble and anxiety,

but your commandments bring me joy.

¹⁴⁴Your instructions are always just;

give me understanding, and I shall live.

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.