The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NET. Switch to the NET to read along with the audio.
The Residents of Jerusalem(A)
11 Now the rulers of the people lived at Jerusalem, so the rest of the people cast lots in order to bring one out of ten to stay in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in other cities. 2 The people blessed all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem.
3 Now these are the leaders of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem (though in the cities of Judah every one lived on his own property within their cities): Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. 4 Some of the sons of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem.
Those from Judah were:
Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel—the descendants of Perez, 5 and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shelah. 6 All the descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men.
7 These are the sons of Benjamin:
Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 8 and after him Gabbai and Sallai, totaling nine hundred and twenty-eight. 9 Joel, the son of Zikri, was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second to him over the city.
10 Of the priests there were:
Jedaiah the son of Joiarib and Jakin; 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was a ruler of the house of God. 12 Their relatives performing the work of the house were eight hundred and twenty-two. There was also Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 plus his relatives who were chiefs of the fathers’ houses were two hundred and forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and their brothers, mighty men of valor, were one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
15 From the Levites there were:
Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 plus Shabbethai and Jozabad, who as leaders of the Levites had oversight of the outside work of the house of God. 17 Mattaniah the son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the first to begin the thanksgiving at prayer, Bakbukiah was the second out of his relatives, and then Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.
19 Moreover, the gatekeepers,
Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two.
20 The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the cities of Judah, every one tending to his own inheritance.
21 But the temple servants lived in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.
22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Some of the sons of Asaph were the singers attending to the work of the house of God, 23 for the king’s regulation about them made their unity a daily issue.
24 Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king’s assistant[a] in all matters concerning the people.
The Residents Outside Jerusalem
25 For the villages located by their fields, some of the people of Judah lived at Kiriath Arba and its villages, others at Dibon and its villages, or at Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 as well as at Jeshua, at Moladah, and at Beth Pelet, 27 and at Hazar Shual, and at Beersheba and its villages, 28 and at Ziklag, at Mekonah and its villages, 29 and at En Rimmon, at Zorah, at Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, at Lachish and its fields, and at Azekah and its villages. So they lived from Beersheba as far as the Valley of Hinnom.
31 Some of the Benjamites settled from Geba onward, at Mikmash, Aija, and Bethel and their villages, 32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
36 From the Levites, some divisions in Judah belonged to Benjamin.
The Priests and Levites
12 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,
3 Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,
5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and of their relatives in the days of Joshua.
8 Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving songs, in conjunction with his relatives. 9 There were also their relatives Bakbukiah and Unni, positioned across from each other in the watches.
10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, these were the heads of the fathers’ houses:
of Seraiah, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13 of Ezra, Meshullam;
of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14 of Malluk, Jonathan;
of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15 of Harim, Adna;
of Meraioth, Helkai;
16 of Iddo, Zechariah;
of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17 of Abijah, Zikri;
of Miniamin and of Moadiah, Piltai;
18 of Bilgah, Shammua;
of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19 of Joiarib, Mattenai;
of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20 of Sallu, Kallai;
of Amok, Eber;
21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah;
and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 The Levites, as well as the priests, were recorded as the chiefs of the fathers’ houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua during the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The descendants of Levi who served as the chiefs of the fathers’ house were recorded in the book of the chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and to give thanks, section opposite section, according to the commandment of David the man of God.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers maintaining the guard duty at the storehouse of the gates. 26 These leaders served during the days of Joiakim the son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, during the days of Nehemiah the governor, and during the days of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
14 So, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Consider Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then, that the idol is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? 20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Do All to the Glory of God
23 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no question for the sake of conscience, 26 for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[a]
27 If any of those who do not believe invite you to a feast, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for the sake of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered in sacrifice to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of him that mentioned it and for the sake of conscience, for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[b] 29 Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
31 Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
and loves a long life in order to see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against the ones doing evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the broken-hearted,
and saves the contrite of spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 A righteous one keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of His servants,
and all who take refuge in Him will not be punished.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
and a concealed bribe strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do justice,
but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding
will remain in the congregation of the dead.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.