Daily Devotions · February 17
Reading for February 17
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Numbers 1–2 · Acts 24
Numbers 1–2 · Acts 24, Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 1
On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said: 2 “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army. 4 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you. 5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15 and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” 16 These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel. 17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18 and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older, 19 just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai: 20 From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 21 those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500. 22 From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 23 those registered to the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300. 24 From the sons of Gad, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 25 those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650. 26 From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 27 those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600. 28 From the sons of Issachar, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 29 those registered to the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400. 30 From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 31 those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400. 32 From the sons of Joseph: From the sons of Ephraim, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 33 those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500. 34 And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 35 those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200. 36 From the sons of Benjamin, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 37 those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400. 38 From the sons of Dan, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 39 those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700. 40 From the sons of Asher, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 41 those registered to the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500. 42 From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 43 those registered to the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400. 44 These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46 And all those counted totaled 603,550. 47 The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. 48 For the LORD had said to Moses: 49 “Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites. 50 Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard. 53 But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.” 54 Thus the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Numbers 2
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family. 3 On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab, 4 and his division numbers 74,600. 5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar, 6 and his division numbers 54,400. 7 Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon, 8 and his division numbers 57,400. 9 The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first. 10 On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur, 11 and his division numbers 46,500. 12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 13 and his division numbers 59,300. 14 Next will be the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel, 15 and his division numbers 45,650. 16 The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Reuben is 151,450; they shall set out second. 17 In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard. 18 On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud, 19 and his division numbers 40,500. 20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 21 and his division numbers 32,200. 22 Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjamites is Abidan son of Gideoni, 23 and his division numbers 35,400. 24 The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Ephraim is 108,100; they shall set out third. 25 On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, 26 and his division numbers 62,700. 27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ocran, 28 and his division numbers 41,500. 29 Next will be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan, 30 and his division numbers 53,400. 31 The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.” 32 These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. The total of those counted in the camps, by their divisions, was 603,550. 33 But the Levites were not counted among the other Israelites, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 34 So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; they camped under their standards in this way and set out in the same way, each man with his clan and his family.
Acts 24
Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul. 2 When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation. 3 In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude. 4 But in order not to delay you any further, I beg your indulgence to hear us briefly. 5 We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, 6 and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. 7 8 By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn the truth about all our charges against him.” 9 The Jews concurred, asserting that these charges were true. 10 When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense. 11 You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me. 14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man. 17 After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings. 18 At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia 19 who ought to appear before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. 20 Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, 21 unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’” 22 Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs. 24 After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.” 26 At the same time, he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe. So he sent for Paul frequently and talked with him. 27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Your SOAP journal
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Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
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