Daily Devotions · February 27
Reading for February 27
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Numbers 21–23 · Mark 6–7
Numbers 21–23 · Mark 6–7, Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 21
When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners. 2 So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.” 3 And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah. 4 Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey 5 and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” 6 So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live. 10 Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth. 11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east. 12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon, 15 even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.” 16 From there they went on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people so that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it! 18 The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people hollowed it out with their scepters and with their staffs.” From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland. 21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 24 And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified. 25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon. 27 That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. 28 For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights. 29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. 30 But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.” 31 So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei. 34 But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” 35 So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land.
Numbers 22
Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho. 2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites. 4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, 5 he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.” 7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak. 8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’” 12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” 14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers. 16 They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’” 18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. 19 So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.” 20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” 21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side. 25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again. 26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!” 30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied. 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown. 32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.” 34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.” 35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you richly?” 38 “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him. 41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
Numbers 23
Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height, 4 and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.” 5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.” 6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab. 7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’ 8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations. 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!” 11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” 12 But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?” 13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.” 14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.” 16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.” 17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked. 18 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor. 19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? 20 I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it. 21 He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them. 22 God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox. 23 For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’ 24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.” 25 Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” 26 But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?” 27 “Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. 29 Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Mark 6
Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” 5 So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. 6 And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people. 7 Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic. 10 And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. 11 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.” 12 So they set out and preached that the people should repent. 13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil. 14 Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!” 17 For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. 18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly. 21 On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” 24 Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison. 28 The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb. 30 Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place. 33 But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them. 34 When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things. 35 By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. 36 Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?” 38 “Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves. 45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them, 49 but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost— 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus 55 and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. 56 And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.
Mark 7
Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, 2 and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. 3 Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. 4 And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.” 6 Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 7 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ 8 You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.” 9 He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.” 14 Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand: 15 Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.” 16 17 After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable. 18 “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.) 20 He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. 21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23 All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.” 24 Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. 25 Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 “First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 28 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone. 31 Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. 33 So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). 35 Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
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
Write your SOAP here. Tap any verse in the reading to add it to Scripture. Your journal saves on this device only, so no one else sees it.
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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.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
Missed a day? Don't start over. Read today's chapters and keep going.