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!
18:1 After this Paul1 left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews2 made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers3 and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit,4 he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
[1] 18:1
[2] 18:12
[3] 18:18
[4] 18:25
(ESV)
Every Batman needs a Robin - a faithful, loyal, trustworthy sidekick to help you in a pinch. And everyone loves a Robin. We even have a pet name for him. "Boy Wonder," we call him. Yes, every Batman needs a Robin. And everyone loves a Robin, that is, unless you are a Robin. Because then, your work as a sidekick can sometimes prove to be dreggy, belittling, and underappreciated. Batman gets all the adulation and accolades. You get the red tights. What kind of a life is that?
Most of the time, we can tell who is the leader and who is the sidekick simply by the order in which their names are listed: Batman and Robin, Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon, Pat Sajak and Vanna White, Dr. Evil and Mini Me. The one who gets top billing is the top dawg, the alpha male, and the big man on campus.
In our reading for today from Acts 18, Paul meets a husband and wife ministry team during his stay in Corinth: "There Paul met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome" (verse 2). Apparently, these two became very close friends of Paul, even risking their lives for him. They were also very well known among many churches, indicating that they travelled extensively. Furthermore, they hosted a church at their house, suggesting that they were quite wealthy and had the necessary spacious accommodations required for a worshipping community (cf. Romans 16:3-5). Aquila and Priscilla - missionaries extraordinaire in Corinth and beyond. Or is that Priscilla and Aquila? "Paul stayed at Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila" (verse 18). In verse 2, it's Aquila and Priscilla. By verse 18, it becomes Priscilla and Aquila.
So which one is it? Aquila and Priscilla or Priscilla and Aquila? Who's the king of the mountain, the leader of the pack, and at the top of the heap? Who's Batman and who's Robin? Neither! For life in the Kingdom does not work according to billings. As Jesus himself teaches: "Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last" (Luke 13:30). It's important to understand that Jesus does not just reverse the order on some divine marquis to spite those who were once on top, it's that Jesus gets rid of the marquis altogether. First is last and last is first. In other words, these two terms become interchangeable and are indeed interchanged. Aquila and Priscilla becomes Priscilla and Aquila, not because one overtakes the other in some heavenly hierarchy, but because it no longer matters who is first and who is last. For both are servants of the Most High God. And that's what matters.
Are you a leader or a sidekick? Is your name listed first or second? Today, give thanks to God that the position of your name in a lineup is not indicative of the value of your soul in God's sight. And so, if you feel a little dreggy, belittled, and underappreciated, remember that, with a loving heart, your heavenly Father lists your name first on his lineup - and last, for that matter. For your position does not matter. What matters is that you are God's precious child.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods1 is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son,2 Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered3 the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 TEKEL, you have been weighed4 in the balances and found wanting; 28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”5
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 6 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
[1] 5:14
[2] 5:22
[3] 5:26
[4] 5:27
[5] 5:28
[6] 5:31
(ESV)
Daniel was brought before King Belshazzar, who inquired about his wisdom and if he would be able to do what the Chaldean wise men were unable to do, that is, interpret the writing on the wall. The king renewed his offer to make Daniel third in command over Babylon if he could reveal the interpretation of the writing. Daniel refused the king's offer, but consented to read the inscription on the wall for the king. He reminded Belshazzar that it was the Most High God who gave Nebuchadnezzar his throne and majesty. Nebuchadnezzar had the power over life and death because of his greatness, so that all people trembled before him. Then Daniel reminded the king that pride had brought Nebuchadnezzar down, so that his madness left him homeless and wild among the beasts of the field until he again acknowledged the Most High God. Then Daniel tore into Belshazzar, whose own pride had caused him to lift his hand against the Lord of heaven by defiling the sacred vessels from the temple. Belshazzar had praised his false gods which "do not see or hear or know," but did not honor the true God who gave him life and breath. Then Daniel interpreted the words, "Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin," for the king. He told the king that God had numbered the days of his kingdom and brought them to an end. He had been weighed on the scales of justice and found wanting. His kingdom would be given to the Persians. When Daniel finished, King Belshazzar fulfilled his promise to Daniel, clothing him in purple and proclaiming him third in command. However, that very night King Belshazzar was killed and the kingdom was given to Darius the Medo-Persian ruler, who entered Babylon by diverting the course of the Euphrates River. Some have questioned the accuracy of Daniel's history because no extra-Biblical records have been found regarding Darius. However, in Daniel 6:28 it says that the prophet "prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian." The expression here may be an equation of the two names, placing them in apposition to one another, so that the reign of Darius was simply another name for the reign of Cyrus. It was common for ancient rulers to use different names in different parts of their empire. Darius may have also been an appointed governor over Babylon under Cyrus, referred to in secular writings as Ugbaru. The overthrow of Babylon took place October 12, 539 BC, and fulfilled not only Daniel's prophecy, but one by Isaiah as well (Is. 47:1-5).
6:1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
go, hasten,1 and plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,2
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with crooked speech,
13 winks with his eyes, signals3 with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with perverted heart devises evil,
continually sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
(ESV)