The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah reigned hath Hoshea son of Elah in Samaria, over Israel -- nine years,
2 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only, not as the kings of Israel who were before him;
3 against him came up Shalmaneser king of Asshur, and Hoshea is to him a servant, and doth render to him a present.
4 And the king of Asshur findeth in Hoshea a conspiracy, in that he hath sent messengers unto So king of Egypt, and hath not caused a present to go up to the king of Asshur, as year by year, and the king of Asshur restraineth him, and bindeth him in a house of restraint.
5 And the king of Asshur goeth up into all the land, and he goeth up to Samaria, and layeth siege against it three years;
6 in the ninth year of Hoshea hath the king of Asshur captured Samaria, and removeth Israel to Asshur, and causeth them to dwell in Halah, and in Habor, [by] the river Gozan, and [in] the cities of the Medes.
7 And it cometh to pass, because the sons of Israel have sinned against Jehovah their God -- who bringeth them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt -- and fear other gods,
8 and walk in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel that they made;
9 and the sons of Israel do covertly things that [are] not right against Jehovah their God, and build for them high places in all their cities, from a tower of the watchers unto the fenced city,
10 and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,
11 and make perfume there in all high places, like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence, and do evil things to provoke Jehovah,
12 and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, `Ye do not do this thing;'
13 And Jehovah testifieth against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, `Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;'
14 and they have not hearkened, and harden their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who did not remain stedfast in Jehovah their God,
15 and reject His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies that He testified against them, and go after the vain thing, and become vain, and after the nations that are round about them, of whom Jehovah commanded them not to do like them;
16 And they forsake all the commands of Jehovah their God, and make to them a molten image -- two calves, and make a shrine, and bow themselves to all the host of the heavens, and serve Baal,
17 and cause their sons and their daughters to pass over through fire, and divine divinations, and use enchantments, and sell themselves to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him;
18 That Jehovah sheweth himself very angry against Israel, and turneth them aside from His presence; none hath been left, only the tribe of Judah by itself.
19 Also Judah hath not kept the commands of Jehovah their God, and they walk in the statutes of Israel that they had made.
20 And Jehovah kicketh against all the seed of Israel, and afflicteth them, and giveth them into the hand of spoilers, till that He hath cast them out of His presence,
21 for He hath rent Israel from the house of David, and they make Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam driveth Israel from after Jehovah, and hath caused them to sin a great sin,
22 and the sons of Israel walk in all the sins of Jeroboam that he did, they have not turned aside therefrom,
23 till that Jehovah hath turned Israel aside from His presence, as He spake by the hand of all His servants the prophets, and Israel is removed from off its land to Asshur, unto this day.
24 And the king of Asshur bringeth in from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and causeth [them] to dwell in the cities of Samaria instead of the sons of Israel, and they possess Samaria, and dwell in its cities;
25 and it cometh to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send among them the lions, and they are destroying among them.
26 And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, `The nations that thou hast removed, and dost place in the cities of Samaria, have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sendeth among them the lions, and lo, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.'
27 And the king of Asshur commandeth, saying, `Cause to go thither one of the priests whom ye removed thence, and they go and dwell there, and he doth teach them the custom of the God of the land.'
28 And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria cometh in, and dwelleth in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they do fear Jehovah,
29 and they are making each nation its gods, and place [them] in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made, each nation in their cities where they are dwelling.
30 And the men of Babylon have made Succoth-Benoth, and the men of Cuth have made Nergal, and the men of Hamath have made Ashima,
31 and the Avites have made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods of Sepharvim.
32 And they are fearing Jehovah, and make to themselves from their extremities priests of high places, and they are acting for them in the house of the high places.
33 Jehovah they are fearing, and their gods they are serving, according to the custom of the nations whence they removed them.
34 Unto this day they are doing according to the former customs -- they are not fearing Jehovah, and are not doing according to their statutes, and according to their ordinances, and according to the law, and according to the command, that Jehovah commanded the sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel,
35 and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, `Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,
36 but Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a stretched-out arm, Him ye do fear, and to Him ye bow yourselves, and to Him ye do sacrifice;
37 and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods;
38 and the covenant that I have made with you ye do not forget, and ye do not fear other gods;
39 but Jehovah your God ye do fear, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;'
40 and they have not hearkened, but according to their former custom they are doing,
41 and these nations are fearing Jehovah, and their graven images they have served, both their sons and their sons' sons; as their fathers did, they are doing unto this day.
18 And it cometh to pass, in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, reigned hath Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah;
2 a son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Abi daughter of Zechariah.
3 And he doth that which [is] right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father did,
4 he hath turned aside the high places, and broken in pieces the standing-pillars, and cut down the shrine, and beaten down the brazen serpent that Moses made, for unto these days were the sons of Israel making perfume to it, and he calleth it `a piece of brass.'
5 In Jehovah, God of Israel, he hath trusted, and after him there hath not been like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [among any] who were before him;
6 and he cleaveth to Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from after Him, and keepeth His commands that Jehovah commanded Moses.
7 And Jehovah hath been with him, in every place where he goeth out he acteth wisely, and he rebelleth against the king of Asshur, and hath not served him;
8 he hath smitten the Philistines unto Gaza, and its borders, from a tower of watchers unto the fenced city.
9 And it cometh to pass, in the fourth year of king Hezekiah -- it [is] the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel -- come up hath Shalmaneser king of Asshur against Samaria, and layeth siege to it,
10 and they capture it at the end of three years; in the sixth year of Hezekiah -- it [is] the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel -- hath Samaria been captureth,
11 and the king of Asshur removeth Israel to Asshur, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor [by] the river Gozan, and [in] cities of the Medes,
12 because that they have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, and transgress His covenant -- all that He commanded Moses, servant of Jehovah -- yea, they have not hearkened nor done [it].
20 And after the ceasing of the tumult, Paul having called near the disciples, and having embraced [them], went forth to go on to Macedonia;
2 and having gone through those parts, and having exhorted them with many words, he came to Greece;
3 having made also three months' [stay] -- a counsel of the Jews having been against him -- being about to set forth to Syria, there came [to him] a resolution of returning through Macedonia.
4 And there were accompanying him unto Asia, Sopater of Berea, and of Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus, and of Asiatics Tychicus and Trophimus;
5 these, having gone before, did remain for us in Troas,
6 and we sailed, after the days of the unleavened food, from Philippi, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.
7 And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,
8 and there were many lamps in the upper chamber where they were gathered together,
9 and there was sitting a certain youth, by name Eutychus, upon the window -- being borne down by a deep sleep, Paul discoursing long -- he having sunk down from the sleep, fell down from the third story, and was lifted up dead.
10 And Paul, having gone down, fell upon him, and having embraced [him], said, `Make no tumult, for his life is in him;'
11 and having come up, and having broken bread, and having tasted, for a long time also having talked -- till daylight, so he went forth,
12 and they brought up the lad alive, and were comforted in no ordinary measure.
13 And we having gone before unto the ship, did sail to Assos, thence intending to take in Paul, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go on foot;
14 and when he met with us at Assos, having taken him up, we came to Mitylene,
15 and thence having sailed, on the morrow we came over-against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and having remained in Trogyllium, on the following day we came to Miletus,
16 for Paul decided to sail past Ephesus, that there may not be to him a loss of time in Asia, for he hasted, if it were possible for him, on the day of the Pentecost to be at Jerusalem.
17 And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,
18 and when they were come unto him, he said to them, `Ye -- ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was;
19 serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against [me];
20 how nothing I did keep back of what things are profitable, not to declare to you, and to teach you publicly, and in every house,
21 testifying fully both to Jews and Greeks, toward God reformation, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 `And now, lo, I -- bound in the Spirit -- go on to Jerusalem, the things that shall befall me in it not knowing,
23 save that the Holy Spirit in every city doth testify fully, saying, that for me bonds and tribulations remain;
24 but I make account of none of these, neither do I count my life precious to myself, so that I finish my course with joy, and the ministration that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully the good news of the grace of God.
25 `And now, lo, I have known that no more shall ye see my face, -- ye all among whom I did go preaching the reign of God;
26 wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I [am] clear from the blood of all,
27 for I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.
28 `Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood,
29 for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,
30 and of your own selves there shall arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31 `Therefore, watch, remembering that three years, night and day, I did not cease with tears warning each one;
32 and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.
33 `The silver or gold or garments of no one did I covet;
34 and ye yourselves know that to my necessities, and to those who were with me, minister did these hands;
35 all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth [us] to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
36 And these things having said, having bowed his knees, with them all, he did pray,
37 and there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,
38 sorrowing most of all for the word that he had said -- that they are about no more to see his face; and they were accompanying him to the ship.
148 Praise ye Jah! Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens, Praise ye Him in high places.
2 Praise ye Him, all His messengers, Praise ye Him, all His hosts.
3 Praise ye Him, sun and moon, Praise ye Him, all stars of light.
4 Praise ye Him, heavens of heavens, And ye waters that are above the heavens.
5 They do praise the name of Jehovah, For He commanded, and they were created.
6 And He establisheth them for ever to the age, A statute He gave, and they pass not over.
7 Praise ye Jehovah from the earth, Dragons and all deeps,
8 Fire and hail, snow and vapour, Whirlwind doing His word;
9 The mountains and all heights, Fruit tree, and all cedars,
10 The wild beast, and all cattle, Creeping thing, and winged bird,
11 Kings of earth, and all peoples, Chiefs, and all judges of earth,
12 Young men, and also maidens, Aged men, with youths,
13 They praise the name of Jehovah, For His name alone hath been set on high, His honour [is] above earth and heavens.
14 And He exalteth the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints, Of the sons of Israel, a people near Him. Praise ye Jah!
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.