The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)

The Other Five Prayer Journey

Fully Devoted

21 Days of Fasting and Prayer Devotional: Send Revival

Read the Book: July - September

The Full Story - "From the Beginning to the Amen"

Elijah. Man of Courage, Man of Faith, Man of God.

Public Reading of Genesis

21 Day Prayer Challenge

Crushing Chaos

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">131</div><div class="cl">Psalm 131</div><div class="d">A song of ascents. Of David.</div><div class="q1"> 1My heart is not proud, Lord,</div><div class="q2">my eyes are not haughty;</div><div class="q1">I do not concern myself with great matters</div><div class="q2">or things too wonderful for me.</div><div class="q1"> 2But I have calmed and quieted myself,</div><div class="q2">I am like a weaned child with its mother;</div><div class="q2">like a weaned child I am content.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 3Israel, put your hope in the Lord</div><div class="q2">both now and forevermore.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1">Jonah Flees From the Lord</div><div class="p"> 1The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2&#8220;Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 4Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.</div><div class="p">But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6The captain went to him and said, &#8220;How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Then the sailors said to each other, &#8220;Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.&#8221; They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8So they asked him, &#8220;Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9He answered, &#8220;I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10This terrified them and they asked, &#8220;What have you done?&#8221; (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)</div><div class="p"> 11The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, &#8220;What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;Pick me up and throw me into the sea,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14Then they cried out to the Lord, &#8220;Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man&#8217;s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.&#8221; 15Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.</div><div class="s1">Jonah&#8217;s Prayer</div><div class="p"> 17Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">2</div><div class="nb"> # In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11. 1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2He said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;In my distress I called to the Lord,</div><div class="q2">and he answered me.</div><div class="q1">From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,</div><div class="q2">and you listened to my cry.</div><div class="q1"> 3You hurled me into the depths,</div><div class="q2">into the very heart of the seas,</div><div class="q2">and the currents swirled about me;</div><div class="q1">all your waves and breakers</div><div class="q2">swept over me.</div><div class="q1"> 4I said, &#8216;I have been banished</div><div class="q2">from your sight;</div><div class="q1">yet I will look again</div><div class="q2">toward your holy temple.&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 5The engulfing waters threatened me,#2:5 Or waters were at my throat</div><div class="q2">the deep surrounded me;</div><div class="q2">seaweed was wrapped around my head.</div><div class="q1"> 6To the roots of the mountains I sank down;</div><div class="q2">the earth beneath barred me in forever.</div><div class="q1">But you, Lord my God,</div><div class="q2">brought my life up from the pit.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 7&#8220;When my life was ebbing away,</div><div class="q2">I remembered you, Lord,</div><div class="q1">and my prayer rose to you,</div><div class="q2">to your holy temple.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 8&#8220;Those who cling to worthless idols</div><div class="q2">turn away from God&#8217;s love for them.</div><div class="q1"> 9But I, with shouts of grateful praise,</div><div class="q2">will sacrifice to you.</div><div class="q1">What I have vowed I will make good.</div><div class="q2">I will say, &#8216;Salvation comes from the Lord.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.</div>
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 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">Jonah Goes to Nineveh</div><div class="p"> 1Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2&#8220;Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4Jonah began by going a day&#8217;s journey into the city, proclaiming, &#8220;Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.&#8221; 5The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.</div><div class="p"> 6When Jonah&#8217;s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:</div><div class="pmo">&#8220;By the decree of the king and his nobles:</div><div class="pm">Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.</div>
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 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">Jonah&#8217;s Anger at the Lord&#8217;s Compassion</div><div class="p"> 1But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2He prayed to the Lord, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4But the Lord replied, &#8220;Is it right for you to be angry?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant#4:6 The precise identification of this plant is uncertain; also in verses 7, 9 and 10. and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah&#8217;s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, &#8220;It would be better for me to die than to live.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9But God said to Jonah, &#8220;Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;It is,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I&#8217;m so angry I wish I were dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10But the Lord said, &#8220;You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left&#8212;and also many animals?&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">1</div><div class="p"> 1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">To all God&#8217;s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons#1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div class="s1">Thanksgiving and Prayer</div><div class="p"> 3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God&#8217;s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ&#8212;to the glory and praise of God.</div><div class="s1">Paul&#8217;s Chains Advance the Gospel</div><div class="p"> 12Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,#1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21. that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard#1:13 Or whole palace and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.</div><div class="p"> 15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.</div><div class="p">Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and God&#8217;s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.#1:19 Or vindication; or salvation 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.</div><div class="s1">Life Worthy of the Gospel</div><div class="p"> 27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,#1:27 Or in one spirit striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved&#8212;and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.</div>
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 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">Imitating Christ&#8217;s Humility</div><div class="p"> 1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.</div><div class="p"> 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:</div><div class="q1"> 6Who, being in very nature#2:6 Or in the form of God,</div><div class="q2">did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;</div><div class="q1"> 7rather, he made himself nothing</div><div class="q2">by taking the very nature#2:7 Or the form of a servant,</div><div class="q2">being made in human likeness.</div><div class="q1"> 8And being found in appearance as a man,</div><div class="q2">he humbled himself</div><div class="q2">by becoming obedient to death&#8212;</div><div class="q3">even death on a cross!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place</div><div class="q2">and gave him the name that is above every name,</div><div class="q1"> 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,</div><div class="q2">in heaven and on earth and under the earth,</div><div class="q1"> 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,</div><div class="q2">to the glory of God the Father.</div><div class="s1">Do Everything Without Grumbling</div><div class="p"> 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed&#8212;not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence&#8212;continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.</div><div class="p"> 14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, &#8220;children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.&#8221;#2:15 Deut. 32:5 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.</div><div class="s1">Timothy and Epaphroditus</div><div class="p"> 19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.</div><div class="p"> 25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.</div>
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 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">No Confidence in the Flesh</div><div class="p"> 1Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh&#8212; 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.</div><div class="p">If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.</div><div class="p"> 7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in#3:9 Or through the faithfulness of Christ&#8212;the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ&#8212;yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.</div><div class="p"> 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.</div><div class="s1">Following Paul&#8217;s Example</div><div class="p"> 15All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.</div><div class="p"> 17Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.</div>
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 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity</div><div class="p"> 1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!</div><div class="p"> 2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.</div><div class="s1">Final Exhortations</div><div class="p"> 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable&#8212;if anything is excellent or praiseworthy&#8212;think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me&#8212;put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.</div><div class="s1">Thanks for Their Gifts</div><div class="p"> 10I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me strength.</div><div class="p"> 14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.</div><div class="s1">Final Greetings</div><div class="p"> 21Greet all God&#8217;s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22All God&#8217;s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar&#8217;s household.</div><div class="p"> 23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.#4:23 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.</div>
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 <div class="label">117</div><div class="cl">Psalm 117</div><div class="q1"> 1Praise the Lord, all you nations;</div><div class="q2">extol him, all you peoples.</div><div class="q1"> 2For great is his love toward us,</div><div class="q2">and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">Praise the Lord.#117:2 Hebrew Hallelu Yah</div>
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