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1 CHRONICLES 15

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The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
  15:1 David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. 3 And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers. 11 Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, 12 and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13 Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” 14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
    
16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19 The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; 21 but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. 22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.
    
25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.
    
29 And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.



1 CHRONICLES 16

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The Ark Placed in a Tent
  16:1 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.
    
4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers. David’s Song of Thanks
8
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
9
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
10
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
11
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
12
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13
O offspring of Israel his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14
He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
15
Remember his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
17
which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
18
saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
as your portion for an inheritance.”

19
When you were few in number,
of little account, and sojourners in it,
20
wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another people,
21
he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their account,
22
saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
do my prophets no harm!”

23
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and he is to be feared above all gods.
26
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his place.

28
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
29
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
30
tremble before him, all the earth;
yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
31
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
33
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
34
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
35 Say also:
“Save us, O God of our salvation,
and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
36
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!”
Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Worship Before the Ark
37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, 38 and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.
    
43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.



PROVERBS 23

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23:1
When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what is before you,
2
and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3
Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4
Do not toil to acquire wealth;
be discerning enough to desist.
5
When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6
Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;
do not desire his delicacies,
7
for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8
You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10
Do not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11
for their Redeemer is strong;
he will plead their cause against you.
12
Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13
Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14
If you strike him with the rod,
you will save his soul from Sheol.
15
My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16
My inmost being will exult
when your lips speak what is right.
17
Let not your heart envy sinners,
but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18
Surely there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.

19
Hear, my son, and be wise,
and direct your heart in the way.
20
Be not among drunkards
or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and slumber will clothe them with rags.

22
Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23
Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25
Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.

26
My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
27
For a prostitute is a deep pit;
an adulteress is a narrow well.
28
She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.

29
Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30
Those who tarry long over wine;
those who go to try mixed wine.
31
Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32
In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33
Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter perverse things.
34
You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
35
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I must have another drink.”



EPHESIANS 4

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Unity in the Body of Christ
  4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. The New Life
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
    
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

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