This Bible reading plan takes you through most of the Holy Scriptures each weekday of the year. Each day has three Bible readings:
You're welcome to read one, two, or all three of the readings every weekday. And if you fall behind, don't worry! You can either use the weekends to catch up or you can simply dive in to the reading for that day, even if you've missed a few days, weeks, or even months!
21:1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.1 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers2 and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews3 at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,4 and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,5 saying:
[1] 21:1
[2] 21:7
[3] 21:11
[4] 21:25
[5] 21:40
(ESV)
Have you ever needed to "get away"? The last two weeks have been busy ones for me. There were projects to complete, administrative tasks to juggle, and people to talk to. In the middle of it all, I found myself ready for a reprieve. Thus, on Saturday morning, I decided to "get away." And so, with a good book in hand, I drove to a nearby IHOP to feast on an omelet, drink some coffee, and spend a few moments in serenity. It was just what my soul needed. I returned to my tasks refreshed and renewed.
"Getting away" can be a marvelous thing. However, what is marvelous when voluntary can turn dreadful when forced. In other words, there is a huge difference between "getting away" and being told to "get away." The former is an act of refuge; the latter is an act of rejection.
In our reading for today from Acts 21, Paul "gets away." Unfortunately, rather than being a voluntary "get away," it is a forced one. Following a purification rite at Jerusalem's temple, some Jews from the province of Asia begin hurling accusations at Paul: "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place" (verse 28).
The charge of bringing Greeks into the temple's holy place was a serious one. There was an inscription on Jerusalem's temple which read: "No Gentile may enter beyond the dividing wall into the court around the Holy Place;
whoever is caught will be to blame for his subsequent death." Thus, if Paul had indeed brought these Gentile Greeks into the temple, his crime, according to this inscription, merited nothing less than the death penalty. But Luke is quick to offer this interpretive gloss concerning Paul's supposed crime: "They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area" (verse 29). In other words, the charges against Paul were trumped up and false.
As false as the charges of these Jews may have been, they are enough to stir the crowd into a frenzy:
The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. The crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with him!" (verses 30-31, 33, 36)
"Away with him!" Such are the biting words of rejection leveled at Paul.
As it is with the leader, so it is with his followers. For Jesus had experienced an almost identical biting rejection to that of Paul's. Jesus is on trial before Pontius Pilate, appearing in front of an angry mob. In an attempt to appease the crowd and spare Jesus' life, Pilate announces, "I will punish him and release him" (Luke 23:16). But the crowd is having none of it. "Away with this man!" they shout vehemently. "Crucify him! Crucify him" (Luke 23:18, 21). Jesus is ordered away. Jesus is rejected.
Even in the face of such vitriolic rejection, Jesus, in his infinite compassion, does not reject even those who reject him. In fact, he invites them, as he did one time with his disciples, to "come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31). Jesus wants us to "get away." But Jesus' getaway is a gracious invitation of refuge rather than a damning order of rejection.
How often do you take Jesus up on his invitation and get away with him? Do you spend quiet time with him in prayer? Do you reflect deeply on his Word? Do you ponder his blessings in your life? This day and this week, take time to get away with Jesus. It's time you won't regret.
9 “As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me1 was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25 He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.
26 But the court shall sit in judgment,
and his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’2
28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”
[1] 7:15
[2] 7:27
(ESV)
Daniel continued to describe his night vision. He saw that the power of the beasts would be limited by the power of God, symbolized by thrones. God was described as the Ancient of Days to show that His authority existed long before the beasts arose. His whites clothes and hair demonstrated His absolute purity. His power was unchallenged, as His throne was blazing fire and a river of fire flowed out from Him. Its blazing wheels indicated that He could dispense justice anywhere that it was needed. This aspect of Daniel's vision was similar to the vision of Ezekiel. God's triumph over the beast with the boastful horn was complete, as it was thrown into the blazing fire. All the other beasts were stripped of their authority as well. Then, as the court was seated and books were opened, all was ready for the Judgment to take place. At that point, "one like a son of man" appeared before Daniel and approached God. The Son of Man, of course, was Jesus' favorite self-designation. He was given a Kingdom that was eternal, as people of all nations worshiped him. Daniel reported that his dream was disturbing and he wanted to have it interpreted. He was then told that the four beasts represented four great kingdoms, however it was the saints of God who would possess an eternal Kingdom. Daniel also learned that the fourth kingdom would dominate and devour the whole earth. From this kingdom would come a king who would speak against the Most High God and would try to thwart His plans, even to the point of oppressing the saints for a set period of time. In the end God would pronounce judgment in favor of the saints, and then they would come into the eternal Kingdom, and the power of the final king would be forever destroyed. Ultimately, all the authority and power of every other kingdom would come to the saints, and all rulers and authorities would worship and obey God. Even in the face of this interpretation, Daniel still found his vision disturbing, so much so that his face grew pale, and he kept the matter to himself.
6 For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness.
10 And behold, the woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.1
11 She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices,2
and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with coverings,
colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast3
23 till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.
[1] 7:10
[2] 7:14
[3] 7:22
(ESV)