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 : 2026-09-17	OT	NT
Total No. of Verses	23,145	7,958
Finished reading	Lamentations	Hebrews
Finished No. of Verses	20,465	7,122
Completion	88.4 %	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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The heart of man, the ways of man

OT  6th Cycle.   NT  12th Cycle.   Sunday 06Oct24

Tue 01Oct24

Jeremiah 18:1 – 34:22 (439 verses) WEB

Matthew 1:1 – 5:48 (138 verses) WEB

Wed 02Oct24

Jeremiah 35:1 – 52:34 (487 verses) WEB

Matthew 6:1 – 10:42 (277 verses) KJV

Thu 03Oct24

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

Ezekiel 1:1 – 10:22 (191 verses) WEB

Matthew 11:1 – 14:36 (174 verses) WEB

Matthew 15:1 – 18:35 (129 verses) KJV

Fri 04Oct24

Ezekiel 11:1 – 25:27 (445 verses) WEB

Matthew 19:1 – 28:20 (453 verses) KJV

Sat 05Oct24

Ezekiel 26:1 – 36:38 (297 verses) WEB

Mark 1:1 – 6:56 (248 verses) KJV

Sun 06Oct24

Ezekiel 37:1 – 45:25 (258 verses) WEB

Ezekiel 46:1 – 48:35 (82 verses) NIV

Mark 7:1 – 16:20 (430 verses) NIV

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

Overall Progress
OT = 21,206 / 23,145 verses (91.62 %)
NT = 1,749 / 7,957 verses (21.98 %)

Old Testament: Since the beginning of October five days ago, I have finished reading all fifty-two chapters of Jeremiah, five chapters of Lamentations, and forty-eight chapters of Ezekiel.

New Testament: Having completed my reading of the Gospel according to Matthew two days ago, I went on to read the Gospel of Mark which I finished reading today.

I have now completed 91 % of the Sixth Cycle of the Old Testament, along with 22 % of the Twelfth Cycle of New Testament readings.

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Passage for Today

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?
I, YHWH, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
Jeremiah 17:9 — 10  World English Bible

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My thoughts for today, about the "ways of man" — how we live a life of good works, can be found in the link below —

• To be seen or not to be seen (Apr2022)
• Faith without works is dead (Mar2022)
• The necessity for good works (Dec2014)
• Created for good works (Jul2012)
• Honest conversation (May2009)

This Iesus - He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father

OT  5th Cycle.   NT  10th Cycle.

Tue 11Jul23
Jeremiah 26:1 - 29:32 (95 verses) WEB
John 9:1 - 10:42 (83 verses) WEB

Wed 12Jul23
Jeremiah 30:1 - 32:44 (108 verses) WEB
John 11:1 - 57 (57 verses) KJV

Thu 13Jul23
Jeremiah 33:1 - 37:21 (120 verses) WEB
John 12:1 - 13:38 (88 verses) WEB

Fri 14Jul23
Jeremiah 38:1 - 41:18 (80 verses) NIV
Jeremiah 42:1 - 43:13 (35 verses) WEB
John 14:1 - 16:33 (91 verses) WEB

Sat 15Jul23
Jeremiah 44:1 - 48:47 (117 verses) GNB
John 17:1 - 18:40 (66 verses) NKJV

Sun 16Jul23
Jeremiah 49:1 - 52:34 (183 verses) WEB
John 19:1 - 21:25 (98 verses) WEB

Mon 17Jul23
Lamentations 1:1 - 3:66 (110 verses) NWB
Acts 1:1 - 2:47 (73 verses) WNT

Tue 18Jul23
Lamentations 4:1 - 5:22 (44 verses) WEB
Ezekiel 1:1 - 2:10 (38 verses) WEB
Acts 3:1 - 4:37 (63 verses) WEB

Wed 19Jul23
Ezekiel 3:1 - 7:27 (102 verses) WEB
Acts 5:1 - 7:60 (117 verses) WEB

WEB — World English Bible
KJV — King James Version
NIV — New International Version
GNB — Good News Bible
NKJV — New King James Version
NWB — Noah Webster Bible
WNT — Weymouth New Testament

In my Old Testament readings, I finished the book of Jeremiah last Sunday and began reading Lamentations the following day. Yesterday I reached the end of Lamentations and went on to read the first seven chapters of the book of Ezekiel.

It was also on Sunday that I finished reading the Gospel of John in the New Testament, embarking on the Acts of the Apostles the next day. I have read up to Chapter 7 of Acts by today.

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Passage of the Day

23 Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
John 14:23 – 24  World English Bible

23 This Jesus, God has raised to life -- a fact to which all of us testify.
33 'Being therefore lifted high by the mighty hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out this which you see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says himself, ''The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand
35 until I make thy foes a footstool under thy feet.'
36 'Therefore let the whole House of Israel know beyond all doubt that God has made Him both LORD and CHRIST--this Jesus whom you crucified.'
Acts 2:32 – 36  Weymouth New Testament

We read from Acts chapter 2 the words of the Apostle Peter, speaking to the huge crowd of Jews from every part of the world (Acts 2:5, 9,10 WNT) telling them that God has raised "this Iesus" to life and that Iesus has received the promised Holy Spirit from God.

Particularly, in verse 33, Peter said that Iesus has poured out the Holy Spirit on all the 120 disciples together with him in the upper room on that Pentecost Day (Acts 1:15). As a result of that outpouring of the Spirit, the disciples spoke in various foreign languages — "which you see and hear" (Acts 2:33b) — a confirmation of the Holy Spirit.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus, like the Peter and the 120 believers in the upper room, let us also be full of the Holy Spirit. Let us walk in the Spirit as we also live in the Spirit. And let us seek the confirmation "which you see and hear" from the Lord.

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I wrote two blog posts on my devotional blog in 2013 about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit — oon the Jews in Jerusalem and on the Gentiles in Caesarea. And again last year, I wrote related observations in another two blog posts, all links below :

• The Promise that is for you, for your children and for all afar (May2013)
• So I knew (Sep2013)
• The Day of Shavuot (Feb2022)
• The day of outpouring of the Spirit upon the Gentiles (Feb2022)

May Our Lord Iesus guide, teach, build, comfort us

OT  4th Cycle.   NT  8th Cycle.

Wed 07Dec22
Lamentations 1:1 - 5:22 (154 verses) NIV
Ezekiel 1:1 - 13:23 (267 verses) NIV
1 Thessalonians 1:1 - 5:28 (89 verses) WNT
2 Thessalonians 1:1 - 3:18 (47 verses) WNT
1 Timothy 1:1 - 6:21 (113 verses) WNT

NIV : New International Version
WNT : Weymouth New Testament

Today I read through the entire book of Lamentations followed by the first thirteen chapters of Ezekiel in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, I read the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians followed by First Timothy.

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Passage of the Day

11 But may our God and Father Himself--and our Lord Jesus --guide us on our way to you;
12 and as for you, may the Lord teach you to love one another and all men, with a growing and a glowing love, resembling our love for you.
13 Thus He will build up your characters, so that you will be faultlessly holy in the presence of our God and Father at the Coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.
1 Thessalonians 3:11 - 13  Weymouth New Testament

16 And may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself--and God our Father who has loved us and has given us in His grace eternal consolation and a bright hope--
17 comfort your hearts and make you stedfast in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 17  Weymouth New Testament

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us acknowledge the grace of God our Father working through our Lord Iesus the Anointed One. Let us ask our Lord Iesus, together with God our Father, to guide us on our way, to teach us to love one another, to build up our characters, to comfort our hearts and to make us steadfast in every good work.

The Lord Iesus and His God

Sunday 01May2022
Lamentations 1:1 - 5:22 GNB (154 verses)
Ezekiel 1:1 - 3:37 GNB (65 verses)
John 11:1 - 17:26 NKJV (262 verses)

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Today is the First Day of the Biblical Week. My readings today cover all five chapters from the book of Lamentations followed by the first three chapters of Ezekiel, along with chapters 11 to 17 of the Gospel of John.

From chapter 13 of the Gospel of John today, I reminded that our Lord Iesus had come from God and was going back to God.

John 13:3  NKJV  New King James Version

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God

John 13:3  NET  New English Translation

Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

John 13:3 also reminds me of the words of our Lord in His prayer in John 17:3, telling us that His God is the Only True God.

John 17:3  NKJV  New King James Version

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, do you believe that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has come from God and has gone back to God? Do you also believer that the God of our Lord Iesus is the Only True God?

Let us say together with the Apostle,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1:3 KJV)

Over the years, I have written about various accounts in the New Testament that clearly tells us that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has a God: His God and Father in Heaven, the Only True God. Two of my articles are linked below:

• Iesus - Our Mediator (26Apr2010)
• Does God have a God? (28Dec2012)

The LORD's unfailing love and mercy

Friday 2021.11.05

Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week again. It is Preparation Day. Let us tie up all loose ends, finish all our tasks for the week and prepare to rest for the Seventh Day Sabbath which will begin at sunset this evening.

Today in my New Testament reading, I read chapters 15 to 17 of the Gospel of John.

In my Old Testament reading, I read the entire book of Lamentations, from chapter 1 to chapter 5.

In the midst of all the sad verses lamenting the fall and destruction of Jerusalem, the writer held on to his hope and trust in the unfailing love of Yehovah. In chapter 3 verses 22 and 23, we read that the love and mercy of Yehovah is "fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise".

Lamentations 3:22 - 27 GNB Good News Bible

22The LORD's unfailing love and mercy still continue,
23Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.
24The LORD is all I have, and so I put my hope in him.
25The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him,
26So it is best for us to wait in patience — to wait for him to save us —
27And it is best to learn this patience in our youth.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. Let us hold on to our trust in the unfailing love and mercy of the LORD. In times of trouble, let us wait in patience for Him to save us.

Today I have read a total of one hundred and fifty-four verses from the Old Testament and eighty-six verses from the New Testament.

Tomorrow, I will continue my reading of the Five Megillot (Scrolls) in the Khetuvim division of the Hebrew Scriptures by proceeding with the book of Ecclesiastes.

In the New Testament, I will go on to read John chapter 18.

Today's Passages:
Lamentations 1:1 - 5:22 GNB (154 verses)
John 15:1 - 17:26 KJV (86 verses)

Two books and four epistles

Saturday 2021.05.22

This Sabbath Day, as I rested from running errands and other daily duties, I embarked on two short books of the OT and finished reading them in one morning: eight chapters of Song of Solomon, followed by five chapters of Lamentations.

In the NT, I finished reading the last two chapters of the Epistle 1 John and went on to read another three single-chapter Epistles 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

I also started reading chapter 1 of the book of Esther (Greek) in the LXX Apocrypha.

Tomorrow I will begin reading Ezekiel and Daniel in the OT, and the Revelation of St John in the NT

Summary:
Song of Solomon 1:1 - 8:14 American Standard Version
Lamentations 1:1 - 5:22 King James Version
1 John 4:1 - 5:21 Weymouth New Testament
2 John 1:1 - 13 WNT
3 John 1:1 - 14 WNT
Jude 1:1 - 25 WNT
Esther (Greek) 1:1 - 22 Brenton Septuagint