Lift up your hearts

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Thu 17Sep2026

Mon 14Sep2026

Jeremiah 1:1 - 14:22 (369 verses) WEB

Jeremiah 15:1 - 22:30 (169 verses) NET

Philippians 1:1 - 4:23 (104 verses) ESV

Colossians 1:1 - 4:18 (95 verses) ESV

Tue 15Sep2026

Jeremiah 23:1 - 36:32 (390 verses) WEB

1 Thessalonians 1:1 - 5:28 (89 verses) ESV

2 Thessalonians 1:1 - 3:18 (47 verses) ESV

1 Timothy 1:1 - 6:21 (113 verses) NET

2 Timothy 1:1 - 4:22 (83 verses) NET

Wed 16Sep2026

Jeremiah 37:1 - 52:34 (436 verses) WEB

Titus 1:1 - 3:15 (46 verses) ESV

Philemon 1:1 - 25 (25 verses) ESV

Hebrews 1:1 - 6:20 (101 verses) ESV

Thu 17Sep2026

Lamentations 1:1 - 5:22 (154 verses) WEB

Ezekiel 1:1 - 10:22 (191 verses) WEB

Hebrews 7:1 - 13:25 (202 verses) ESV

ESV — English Standard Version
NET — New English Translation
WEB — World English Bible

Overall Progress	17Sep2026
OT	23,145 verses
Finished Lamentations	20,465 verses
Completion	88.4 %
NT	7,958 verses
Finished Hebrews	7,122 verses
Completion	89.5 %

I have made good progress over the last four days of this week, finishing the OT books of Jeremiah and Lamentations, and reading up to chapter 10 of Ezekiel. In the NT, I have finished reading from the Epistle of Philippians right up to the end of Hebrews.

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Passage for Today

Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven, and say:
“We have sinned and rebelled
and you have not forgiven.

Lamentations 3:40 - 42

 

New International Version

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To Me every knee shall bow

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Sat 13Sep2026

Fri 04Sep2026

Psalm 84:1 - 89:52 (119 verses) WEB

Psalms Book IV:

Psalm 90:1 - 106:48 (333 verses) WEB

Psalms Book V:

Psalm 107:1 - 109:31 (87 verses) WEB

John 16:1 - 21:25 (197 verses) NIV

Sat 05Sep2026

Psalm 110:1 - 118:29 (112 verses) ESV

Psalm 119:1 - 176 (176 verses) WEB

Psalm 120:1 - 138:8 (165 verses) WEB

Acts 1:1 - 5:42 (178 verses) ESV

Sun 06Sep2026

Psalm 139:1 - 150:6 (161 verses) WEB

Proverbs 1:1 - 10:32 (288 verses) NIV

Acts 6:1 - 10:48 (206 verses) ESV

Mon 07Sep2026

Proverbs 11:1 - 21:31 (327 verses) NIV

Acts 11:1 - 20:38 (357 verses) ESV

Wed 09Sep2026

Ecclesiastes 1:1 - 12:14 (222 verses) JND

Song of Solomon 1:1 - 8:14 (117 verses) NWB

Romans 1:1 - 9:33 (257 verses) NET

Thu 10Sep2026

Isaiah 1:1 - 17:14 (344 verses) WEB

Romans 10:1 - 16:27 (176 verses) ESV

Fri 11Sep2026

Isaiah 18:1 - 34:17 (323 verses) BBE

1 Corinthians 1:1 - 6:20 (124 verses) NET

1 Corinthians 7:1 - 16:24 (313 verses) WEB

Sat 12Sep2026

Isaiah 35:1 - 51:23 (376 verses) WEB

2 Corinthians 1:1 - 13:14 (257 verses) ESV

Sun 13Sep2026

Isaiah 52:1 - 66:24 (249 verses) WEB

Galatians 1:1 - 6:18 (149 verses) ESV

Ephesians 1:1 - 6:24 (155 verses) ESV

ESV — English Standard Version
NET — New English Translation
BBE — Bible in Basic English
NWB — Noah Webster Bible
JND — JN Darby's Translation
WEB — World English Bible

Overall Progress	13Sep2026
OT	23,145 verses
Finished Isaiah	18,947 verses
Completion	81.9 %
NT	7,958 verses
Finished Ephesians	6,217 verses
Completion	78.1 %

I have spent nine days of intensive readings of both the Old and New Testaments. At last, I am gradually catching up with lost time after several months of slow readings.

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Passage for Today

By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Isaiah 45:23

 

English Standard Version

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Whom have I in heaven but Thee?

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Thu 03Sep2026

Tue 01Sep2026

Psalm 43:1 - 50:23 (125 verses) RSV

Psalm 51:1 - 55:23 (64 verses) KJV

John 6:1 - 71 (71 verses) CUB

John 7:1 - 8:59 (112 verses) WEB

Wed 02Sep2026

Psalm 56:1 - 72:20 (285 verses) RSV

John 9:1 - 11:57 (140 verses) BBE

Thu 03Sep2026

Book III Psalm 73:1 - 83:18 (239 verses) RSV

John 12:1 - 15:27 (146 verses) BBE

RSV — Revised Standard Version
KJV — King James Version
BBE — Bible in Basic English
CUB — Chinese Union Bible
WEB — World English Bible

Overall Progress
OT = 15,138 / 23,145 verses (65.4 %)
NT = 3,581 / 7,957 verses (45.0 %)

I am picking up the pace of daily readings again after a few months of hardly making any progress. In the last two days, I have finished reading Book II of Psalms (Ps 43 - 72) and proceeded with a good portion of Book III (Ps 73 - 83). Meanwhile, I continue to move forward in my New Testament reading of the Gospel according to John, covering chapters 6 to 15 in two days.

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Passage for Today

Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

Psalm 73:25 - 26

 

Revised Standard Version

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Five months of intermittent readings

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Sun 30Aug2026

Mon 30Mar2026

Job 1:1 - 10:22 (239 verses) NIV

Luke 1:1 - 4:44 (214 verses) NIV

Tue 31Mar2026

Job 11:1 - 20:29 (247 verses) NIV

Luke 5:1 - 8:56 (194 verses) NIV

Fri 03Apr2026

Luke 9:1 - 11:53 (157 verses) NIV

Sat 04Apr2026

Job 21:1 - 30:31 (232 verses) NIV

Sun 05Apr2026

Job 31:1 - 42:17 (351 verses) NIV

Luke 12:1 - 15:32 (161 verses) NIV

Sun 19Apr2026

Book I Psalm 1:1 - 5:10 (44 verses) NIV

Mon 20Apr2026

Book I Psalm 6:1 - 15:5 (107 verses) RBV

Luke 16:1 - 20:47 (206 verses) RBV

Sun 17May2026

Book I Psalm 16:1 - 22:31 (143 verses) NIV

Luke 21:1 - 22:71 (109 verses) NIV

Wed 27May2026

Book I Psalm 23:1 - 25:22 (38 verses) KJV

Sun 14Jun2026

Book I Psalm 26:1 - 32:11 (93 verses) RBV

Luke 23:1 - 24:53 (109 verses) RBV

Sat 27Jun2026

Book I Psalm 33:1 - 34:32 (44 verses) RBV

Sun 05Jul2026

Psalm 35:1 - 38:22 (102 verses) RBV

Sun 27Jul2026

John 1:1 - 5:47 (213 verses) WEB

Sun 30Aug2026

Psalm 39:1 - 41:13 (43 verses) NIV

Book II Psalm 42:1 - 11 (11 verses) NIV

RBV — Revised Berkeley Version
WEB — World English Bible
NIV — New International Version

Overall Progress
OT = 14,425 / 23,145 verses (62.3 %)
NT = 3,112 / 7,957 verses (39.1 %)

The past five months' readings continue to be interrupted by travelling and family commitments. Between the month of March and now at the end of August, I have finished reading Job, the Gospel according to Luke, the Psalms Book I (Psalm 1 to 41) and a few chapters of the Gospel of John.

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Passage for Today

8 For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. 20 For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. 22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgement to the Son, 23 that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who doesn’t honour the Son doesn’t honour the Father who sent him.

24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27 He also gave him authority to execute judgement, because he is a son of man. 28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement. 30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is righteous, because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

John 5:18 - 30

 

World English Bible

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My thoughts for today —

A brief look into the accusations by the Jews against the Lord Jesus and our Lord's reply and explanation recorded in John 5:18 - 30 WEB :

• v18 the Jews sought to kill Jesus not only because he broke the sabbath, but also because he called God his Father, making himself equal with God.
• v19 - 30 Jesus took pains to explain to the Jews that calling God his Father did NOT make him equal with God. (v19 Jesus THEREFORE answered them . . .)
• v19, 30 the Son can do nothing of himself
• v20 the Father shows him all things that He does
• v21 as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he will
• v22,27 the Father has given authority to execute judgment to the Son
• v26 as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave the Son to have life in himself
• v30 the Son can do nothing by himself, does not seek his own will but the will of the Father who sent him
• Also in v36,37, the Father has given the Son works to accomplish, the works testify that the Father has sent him
• v43 Jesus came in the Father's Name

Wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Sun 29Mar2026

Sat 28Feb2026

Ezra 1:1 - 10:44 (284 verses) WEB

Mark 3:1 - 4:41 (76 verses) KJV

Sun 01Mar2026

Nehemiah 1:1 - 9:38 (253 verses) NIV

Mark 5:1 - 6:56 (99 verses) NIV

Mon 02Mar2026

Nehemiah 10:1 - 13:31 (153 verses) WEB

Mark 7:1 - 8:38 (75 verses) KJV

Wed 04Mar2026

Mark 9:1 - 10:52 (102 verses) KJV

Sun 29Mar2026

Esther 1:1 - 10:3 (167 verses) NIV

Mark 11:1 - 16:20 (253 verses) NIV

WEB — World English Bible
KJV — King James Version
NIV — New International Version

Overall Progress
OT = 12,731 / 23,145 verses (55.0 %)
NT = 1,749 / 7,957 verses (22.0 %)

The recent month has seen me reading through the Old Testament books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. In the New Testament, I finished reading the Gospel according to Mark.

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Passage for Today

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Nehemiah 1:2 — 4

 

King James Version

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My thoughts for today can be found in the links below —

• Three days and three nights (29Mar2026)
• Do not eat or drink for three days (07Nov2021)
• Eyes over evil, hands over heart (15Jul2020)
• It is in your hands, again (02Aug2020)

Thine is the Kingdom, Power, and Glory

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Fri 27Feb2026

Tue 24Feb2026

1 Chronicles 28:1 - 29:30 (51 verses) WEB

2 Chronicles 1:1 - 4:22 (74 verses) WEB

Matthew 24:1 - 25:46 (97 verses) KJV

Wed 25Feb2026

2 Chronicles 5:1 - 14:15 (221 verses) WEB

Matthew 26:1 - 75 (75 verses) KJV

Thu 26Feb2026

2 Chronicles 15:1 - 25:28 (242 verses) WEB

Matthew 27:1 - 28:20 (86 verses) KJV

Fri 27Feb2026

2 Chronicles 26:1 - 36:23 (284 verses) WEB

Mark 1:1 - 2:28 (73 verses) KJV

WEB — World English Bible
KJV — King James Version

Overall Progress
OT = 11,874 / 23,145 verses (51.3 %)
NT = 1,144 / 7,957 verses (14.4 %)

It is often pointed out by Bible teachers that the last line of the Lord's Prayer, "Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory" did not exist in the oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts. It was most probably added later on as a "liturgical addition" as part of Christian tradition.

However, this last line of the Lord's Prayer is not without scriptural basis.

While reading 1 Chronicles chapter 29 a few days ago, I came across a passage from verses 11 to 13 that records the prayer of King David as he blessed the LORD before the congregation of Israel (see passage quoted below). David began his doxology by saying,

"Yours LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty!"

He went on to tell the LORD,

". . . Yours is the Kingdom, and you are exalted as head above all",

and

". . . In your hand is power and might".

The last line of the Lord's Prayer might have been a liturgical addition that was possibly based on the Blessing of King David to the LORD in 1 Chronicles 29, where he affirmed that to God belongs the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory.

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Passage for Today

11 Yours LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty!
For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.
Yours is the kingdom, LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.
12 Both riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all!
In your hand is power and might!
It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all!
13 Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:11 – 13

 

World English Bible

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My thoughts for today can be found in the links below —

• Give us each day our daily bread (26-04-2022)
• The Power of spoken words (19-05-2021)
• Worship Him who sits on the Throne (04-08-2014)

Aaron and his descendants were set apart

OT

 

7th Cycle.

  

NT

 

14th Cycle.

  

Mon 23Feb2026

Sun 22Feb2026

1 Chronicles 9:1 - 13:14 (159 verses) KJV

1 Chronicles 14:1 - 17:27 (116 verses) NIV

Matthew 20:1 - 21:46 (80 verses) NIV

Mon 23Feb2026

1 Chronicles 18:1 - 27:34 (242 verses) NIV

Matthew 22:1 - 23:39 (85 verses) NIV

KJV — King James Version
NIV — New International Version

Overall Progress
OT = 11,002 / 23,145 verses (47.5 %)
NT = 813 / 7,957 verses (10.2 %)

In First Chronicles, it is written that Aaron ben Amram ben Kohath ben Levi the third son of Jacob and Leah, was set apart to become Priest of God. This setting apart from the rest of the children of Israel included all descendants of Aaron.

Earlier, in Exodus chapter 29 and Leviticus chapter 8, we read that Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar to serve as Priests in the Tabernacle. Now in 1 Chronicles chapter 23, we read that this priesthood is to continue forever.

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Passage for Today

The sons of Amram:
        Aaron and Moses.
Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants for ever,

to consecrate the most holy things,
to offer sacrifices before the Lord,
to minister before him and
to pronounce blessings in his name for ever.

1 Chronicles 23:13

 

New International Version

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My thoughts for today can be found in the links below —

• The Lips of a Priest (13.07.2009)
• The Priest of God (30.11.2012)
• King of Righteousness, King of Peace (06.09.2021)
• A Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek (11.09.2021)
• The Priestly Order of Melchizedek (07.03.2022)