Daily Readings for Thursday, 20 February 2014 & Friday, 21 February 2014

Daily Readings for Thursday, 20 February 2014 & Friday, 21 February 2014

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”; and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. 18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.

19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness”;[a]and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.

Footnotes:

a. James 2:23 Genesis 15:6

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:12 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue,[a] and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in; 3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, “Sit here in a good place”; and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”; 4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called? 8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”[b] you do well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

Footnotes:

a. James 2:2 or, meeting

b. James 2:8 Leviticus 19:18

Psalm 112:1 Praise Yah![a]
    Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh,
    who delights greatly in his commandments.

2 His offspring[b] will be mighty in the land.
    The generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in his house.
    His righteousness endures forever.

4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright,
    gracious, merciful, and righteous.

5 It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends.
    He will maintain his cause in judgment.

6 For he will never be shaken.
    The righteous will be remembered forever.

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 112:1 Psalm 112 is an acrostic poem, with each verse after the initial “Praise Yah!” starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).

b. Psalm 112:2 or, seed

Psalm 34:2 My soul shall boast in Yahweh.

    The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me.

    Let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought Yahweh, and he answered me,

    and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to him, and were radiant.

    Their faces shall never be covered with shame.

6 This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him,

    and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him,

    and delivers them.

Mark 8:34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

9:1 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.”

Mark 8:27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. 31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

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