Positive and Encouraging Thoughts for Women: A 5-Day Devotional From K-LOVE

Who Am I, Really? Discovering the You God Had in Mind

The Bible in a Month

Gospel-Based Conversations to Have With Your Preteen

Never Alone

Simon Peter's Journey: 'Grace in Failure' (Part 1)

Everyday Prayers for Christmas

Sharing Your Faith in the Workplace

Reimagine Influence Through the Life of Lydia

The Holy Spirit: God Among Us

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">
 <div class="book bkGEN">
 <div class="chapter ch43" data-usfm="GEN.43">
 <div class="label">43</div><div class="s1">The Second Journey to Egypt</div><div class="p"> 1Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, &#8220;Go back and buy us a little more food.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3But Judah said to him, &#8220;The man warned us solemnly, &#8216;You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.&#8217; 4If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, &#8216;You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Israel asked, &#8220;Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7They replied, &#8220;The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. &#8216;Is your father still living?&#8217; he asked us. &#8216;Do you have another brother?&#8217; We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, &#8216;Bring your brother down here&#8217;?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Then Judah said to Israel his father, &#8220;Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Then their father Israel said to them, &#8220;If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift&#8212;a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14And may God Almighty#43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, &#8220;Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph&#8217;s house. 18Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, &#8220;We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19So they went up to Joseph&#8217;s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20&#8220;We beg your pardon, our lord,&#8221; they said, &#8220;we came down here the first time to buy food. 21But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver&#8212;the exact weight&#8212;in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don&#8217;t know who put our silver in our sacks.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23&#8220;It&#8217;s all right,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.&#8221; Then he brought Simeon out to them.</div><div class="p"> 24The steward took the men into Joseph&#8217;s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25They prepared their gifts for Joseph&#8217;s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.</div><div class="p"> 26When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27He asked them how they were, and then he said, &#8220;How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28They replied, &#8220;Your servant our father is still alive and well.&#8221; And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.</div><div class="p"> 29As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother&#8217;s son, he asked, &#8220;Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?&#8221; And he said, &#8220;God be gracious to you, my son.&#8221; 30Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.</div><div class="p"> 31After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, &#8220;Serve the food.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34When portions were served to them from Joseph&#8217;s table, Benjamin&#8217;s portion was five times as much as anyone else&#8217;s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="2SA.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="p"> 1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.</div><div class="li1"> 2Sons were born to David in Hebron:</div><div class="li2">His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;</div><div class="li2"> 3his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel;</div><div class="li2">the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;</div><div class="li2"> 4the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;</div><div class="li2">the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;</div><div class="li2"> 5and the sixth, Ithream the son of David&#8217;s wife Eglah.</div><div class="li2">These were born to David in Hebron.</div><div class="s1">Abner Goes Over to David</div><div class="p"> 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, &#8220;Why did you sleep with my father&#8217;s concubine?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, &#8220;Am I a dog&#8217;s head&#8212;on Judah&#8217;s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven&#8217;t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! 9May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David&#8217;s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.&#8221; 11Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.</div><div class="p"> 12Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, &#8220;Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;Good,&#8221; said David. &#8220;I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.&#8221; 14Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, &#8220;Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, &#8220;Go back home!&#8221; So he went back.</div><div class="p"> 17Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, &#8220;For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18Now do it! For the Lord promised David, &#8216;By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. 20When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. 21Then Abner said to David, &#8220;Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.&#8221; So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.</div><div class="s1">Joab Murders Abner</div><div class="p"> 22Just then David&#8217;s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.</div><div class="p"> 24So Joab went to the king and said, &#8220;What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! 25You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 27Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.</div><div class="p"> 28Later, when David heard about this, he said, &#8220;I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab&#8217;s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy#3:29 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)</div><div class="p"> 31Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, &#8220;Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.&#8221; King David himself walked behind the bier. 32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner&#8217;s tomb. All the people wept also.</div><div class="p"> 33The king sang this lament for Abner:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Should Abner have died as the lawless die?</div><div class="q2"> 34Your hands were not bound,</div><div class="q2">your feet were not fettered.</div><div class="q1">You fell as one falls before the wicked.&#8221;</div><div class="p">And all the people wept over him again.</div><div class="p"> 35Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, &#8220;May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 36All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.</div><div class="p"> 38Then the king said to his men, &#8220;Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkPSA">
 <div class="chapter ch14" data-usfm="PSA.14">
 <div class="label">14</div><div class="cl">Psalm 14</div><div class="d">For the director of music. Of David.</div><div class="q1"> 1The fool#14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient. says in his heart,</div><div class="q2">&#8220;There is no God.&#8221;</div><div class="q1">They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;</div><div class="q2">there is no one who does good.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 2The Lord looks down from heaven</div><div class="q2">on all mankind</div><div class="q1">to see if there are any who understand,</div><div class="q2">any who seek God.</div><div class="q1"> 3All have turned away, all have become corrupt;</div><div class="q2">there is no one who does good,</div><div class="q2">not even one.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4Do all these evildoers know nothing?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">They devour my people as though eating bread;</div><div class="q2">they never call on the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 5But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,</div><div class="q2">for God is present in the company of the righteous.</div><div class="q1"> 6You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,</div><div class="q2">but the Lord is their refuge.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 7Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!</div><div class="q2">When the Lord restores his people,</div><div class="q2">let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMRK">
 <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="MRK.4">
 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Sower</div><div class="p"> 1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water&#8217;s edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3&#8220;Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Then Jesus said, &#8220;Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, &#8220;The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,</div><div class="q1"> &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,</div><div class="q2"> and ever hearing but never understanding;</div><div class="q1"> otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!&#8217; # 4:12 
 Isaiah 6:9,10 &#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then Jesus said to them, &#8220;Don&#8217;t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop&#8212;some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">A Lamp on a Stand</div><div class="p"> 21He said to them, &#8220;Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don&#8217;t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24 &#8220;Consider carefully what you hear,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;With the measure you use, it will be measured to you&#8212;and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Growing Seed</div><div class="p"> 26He also said, &#8220;This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain&#8212;first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Mustard Seed</div><div class="p"> 30Again he said, &#8220;What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Calms the Storm</div><div class="p"> 35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, &#8220;Let us go over to the other side.&#8221; 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, &#8220;Teacher, don&#8217;t you care if we drown?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, &#8220;Quiet! Be still!&#8221; Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.</div><div class="p"> 40He said to his disciples, &#8220;Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 41They were terrified and asked each other, &#8220;Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!&#8221;</div>
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