Joshua 1:1-11

New International Version

Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,^(A) the Lord said to Joshua^(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ²“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River^(C) into the land^(D) I am about to give to them^(E)—to the Israelites. ³I will give you every place where you set your foot,^(F) as I promised Moses.^(G) ⁴Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,^(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates^(I)—all the Hittite^(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.^(K) ⁵No one will be able to stand against you^(L) all the days of your life. As I was with^(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake^(N) you. ⁶Be strong^(O) and courageous,^(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors^(Q) to give them.

⁷“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey^(R) all the law^(S) my servant Moses^(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,^(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.^(V) ⁸Keep this Book of the Law^(W) always on your lips;^(X) meditate^(Y) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.^(Z) ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;^(AA) do not be discouraged,^(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”^(AC)

¹⁰So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:^(AD) ¹¹“Go through the camp^(AE) and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions^(AF) ready. Three days^(AG) from now you will cross the Jordan^(AH) here to go in and take possession^(AI) of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

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Daniel 4:1-18

New International Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

4 ^[a]King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the nations and peoples of every language,^(A) who live in all the earth:

May you prosper greatly!^(B)

²It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs^(C) and wonders that the Most High God^(D) has performed for me.

³How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!^(E)
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures^(F) from generation to generation.

⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented^(G) and prosperous. ⁵I had a dream^(H) that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed,^(I) the images and visions that passed through my mind^(J) terrified me.^(K) ⁶So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret^(L) the dream for me. ⁷When the magicians,^(M) enchanters, astrologers^[b] and diviners^(N) came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.^(O) ⁸Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar,^(P) after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods^(Q) is in him.)

⁹I said, “Belteshazzar, chief^(R) of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods^(S) is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. ¹⁰These are the visions I saw while lying in bed:^(T) I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.^(U) ¹¹The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.^(V) ¹²Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches;^(W) from it every creature was fed.

¹³“In the visions I saw while lying in bed,^(X) I looked, and there before me was a holy one,^(Y) a messenger,^[c] coming down from heaven. ¹⁴He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree^(Z) and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.^(AA) ¹⁵But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.

“‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. ¹⁶Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times^[d] pass by for him.^(AB)

¹⁷“‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High^(AC) is sovereign^(AD) over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest^(AE) of people.’

¹⁸“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me.^(AF) But you can,^(AG) because the spirit of the holy gods^(AH) is in you.”^(AI)

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Footnotes

Daniel 4:1 In Aramaic texts 4:1-3 is numbered 3:31-33, and 4:4-37 is numbered 4:1-34.
Daniel 4:7 Or Chaldeans
Daniel 4:13 Or watchman; also in verses 17 and 23
Daniel 4:16 Or years; also in verses 23, 25 and 32

Matthew 5:13-20

New International Version

Salt and Light

¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.^(A)

¹⁴“You are the light of the world.^(B) A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.^(C) ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others,^(D) that they may see your good deeds^(E) and glorify^(F) your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.^(G) ¹⁸For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.^(H) ¹⁹Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands^(I) and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.^(J)

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Hebrews 13:1-6

New International Version

Concluding Exhortations

13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.^(A) ²Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,^(B) for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.^(C) ³Continue to remember those in prison^(D) as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

⁴Marriage should be honored by all,^(E) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.^(F) ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money^(G) and be content with what you have,^(H) because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”^[a]^(I)

⁶So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”^[b]^(J)

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