Daily Devotions · March 2
Reading for March 2
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Numbers 30–31 · Mark 9
Numbers 30–31 · Mark 9, Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 30
Then Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded: 2 If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised. 3 And if a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge, 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, then none of the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. The LORD will absolve her because her father has prohibited her. 6 If a woman marries while under a vow or rash promise by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her on that day, then the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if her husband prohibits her when he hears of it, he nullifies the vow that binds her or the rash promise she has made, and the LORD will absolve her. 9 Every vow a widow or divorced woman pledges to fulfill is binding on her. 10 If a woman in her husband’s house has made a vow or put herself under an obligation with an oath, 11 and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her and does not prohibit her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them on the day he hears of them, then nothing that came from her lips, whether her vows or pledges, shall stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will absolve her. 13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all the vows and pledges that bind her. He has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard about them. 15 But if he nullifies them after he hears of them, then he will bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the relationship between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter still in his home.
Numbers 31
And the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses told the people, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianites and execute the LORD’s vengeance on them. 4 Send into battle a thousand men from each tribe of Israel.” 5 So a thousand men were recruited from each tribe of Israel—twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent the thousand from each tribe into battle, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who took with him the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling. 7 Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 8 Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. 9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods. 10 Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites had lived, as well as all their encampments, 11 and carried away all the plunder and spoils, both people and animals. 12 They brought the captives, spoils, and plunder to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of Israel at the camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho. 13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle. 15 “Have you spared all the women?” he asked them. 16 “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD. 17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man, 18 but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man. 19 All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives. 20 And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.” 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses: 22 Only the gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead— 23 everything that can withstand the fire—must be put through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must still be purified with the water of purification. And everything that cannot withstand the fire must pass through the water. 24 On the seventh day you are to wash your clothes, and you will be clean. After that you may enter the camp.” 25 The LORD said to Moses, 26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the congregation are to take a count of what was captured, both of man and beast. 27 Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation. 28 Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep. 29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD. 30 From the Israelites’ half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD had commanded Moses, 32 and this plunder remained from the spoils the soldiers had taken: 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 women who had not slept with a man. 36 This was the half portion for those who had gone to war: 337,500 sheep, 37 including a tribute to the LORD of 675, 38 36,000 cattle, including a tribute to the LORD of 72, 39 30,500 donkeys, including a tribute to the LORD of 61, 40 and 16,000 people, including a tribute to the LORD of 32. 41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as an offering for the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 42 From the Israelites’ half, which Moses had set apart from the men who had gone to war, 43 this half belonged to the congregation: 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses took one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded him. 48 Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and of hundreds—approached Moses 49 and said, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing. 50 So we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them all the articles made out of gold. 52 All the gold that the commanders of thousands and of hundreds presented as an offering to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels. 53 Each of the soldiers had taken plunder for himself. 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.
Mark 9
Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.” 2 After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. 4 And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say. 7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead. 11 And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 He replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and he restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.” 14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with awe and ran to greet Him. 16 “What are you disputing with them?” He asked. 17 Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.” 19 “O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” 20 So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said. 22 “It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.” 26 After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer.” 30 Going on from there, they passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know, 31 because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it. 33 Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.” 36 Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.” 38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone else driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.” 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward. 42 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. 44 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 46 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
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.
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.