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!
28:1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people1 showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice2 has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly,3 and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods4 as a figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers5 and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” 21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26 “‘Go to this people, and say,
“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”6
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense,7 and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
[1] 28:2
[2] 28:4
[3] 28:10
[4] 28:11
[5] 28:14
[6] 28:28
[7] 28:30
(ESV)
Adventuresome?
"And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.... He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance." (Acts 28:16, 30-31)
This last chapter of Acts concludes a truly amazing story. God used a man who was arrested in Jerusalem, imprisoned in Caesarea, shipwrecked on the island of Malta, and finally detained under house arrest with an armed guard for two years, to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. It's hard to imagine that God could have devised a more round about way of delivering the Gospel to the heart of the Roman Empire.
When I think about the life I've lived, it is about as round about as the story of Paul in Acts, although not nearly as dramatic. Growing up in Michigan the grandson of a wholesale florist, I was supposed to follow in my grandfather's footsteps and take over the family business. God had other plans, and I ended up being chosen by Him to share the good news of Jesus for the rest of my life. In the process God moved me and my family from Illinois, to Minnesota, to Washington state, and finally now to Texas. In every place God had new adventures planned for us, and opportunities I had never dreamed of to spread the gospel.
Paul was an even more unlikely candidate to be chosen by God than I was. He was a Pharisee, the strictest sect of the Jews who were determined to make themselves right with God by their own efforts at observing the Law. Paul persecuted Christians and threw them in prison, before he was blinded by Christ and then had his eyes opened at his baptism. But through Paul, God taught us about his grace, turned the world upside down, and spread the Gospel throughout the known world.
You may think you're nothing special or that your life is pretty ordinary, but if you will put yourself in God's hands you may be surprised how He will use you to spread the message of His love in Jesus. You may even have some adventures you never dreamed of. Being used by God to share the Gospel is not always easy or painless, but it is exciting and full of adventure. So why not say a prayer and ask God to put you to work, starting today!
40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack1 him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
12:1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;2 and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,3 “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
[1] 11:40
[2] 12:3
[3] 12:6
(ESV)
The final prophecy of Daniel is about "the time of the end." The battles between the Ptolemies and Seleucids were a type of the final battle against God and his people being waged by the antichrist. Though the kings of the south and north oppose the antichrist, he will invade many countries, sweeping through them like a flood. Finally he will come against God's people in "the glorious land," and many thousands will fall at his hand. As God had promised earlier through Jeremiah, however, "Edom, Moab, and the main part of the Ammonites" will be delivered. Plundering Egypt, and seemingly unstoppable, the antichrist will be alarmed by "news from the east and the north" and will retreat with "great fury" through Israel, destroying many. He will camp between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea, and there, in the land of God's chosen people, "he shall come to his end, with none to help him." The end of the world will be accompanied by "a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time." Nevertheless, the people of God will be saved, "everyone whose name shall be found written in the book." Then will come the resurrection of the dead and the judgment. All those who have been made "wise for salvation through faith in ChristJesus" (2 Timothy 3:15) "shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel was commanded to carefully shut and seal the book of his prophecies so that it would be preserved for those who at the end of time will seek knowledge, while others "run to and fro" seeking wisdom in the wrong places. Daniel then saw two angels on either side of the river, and someone asked, "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?" The answer, "time, times, and half a time" indicated a relatively limited time before the "time of trouble" would conclude, at a point when "the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end." When Daniel protested that he still did not understand all the things that had been revealed to him, God's messenger reminded him that these things were for the end of time. So also Peter wrote: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow" (1 Peter 1:10-11). Daniel was assured that when the time came, "those who are wise shall understand." This time of tribulation at the end of time will allow many who go through it to "purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined." The wicked, however, will continue in their wickedness until the end. Thus, we know that although the end times will be very evil and will involve much suffering for God's people, they will be limited in their duration. Just as Daniel was told "you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days," so we too can be confident that we will be able to stand firm until the end and receive our reward of grace.
22 The blessing of the LORD makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.1
23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 The hope of the righteous brings joy,
but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
30 The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,
but a just weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
[1] 10:22
(ESV)