Daily Devotions · September 25
Reading for September 25
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Ezra 2–3 · Luke 8
Ezra 2–3 · Luke 8, Berean Standard Bible
Ezra 2
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 2 accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel: 3 the descendants of Parosh, 2,172; 4 the descendants of Shephatiah, 372; 5 the descendants of Arah, 775; 6 the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812; 7 the descendants of Elam, 1,254; 8 the descendants of Zattu, 945; 9 the descendants of Zaccai, 760; 10 the descendants of Bani, 642; 11 the descendants of Bebai, 623; 12 the descendants of Azgad, 1,222; 13 the descendants of Adonikam, 666; 14 the descendants of Bigvai, 2,056; 15 the descendants of Adin, 454; 16 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98; 17 the descendants of Bezai, 323; 18 the descendants of Jorah, 112; 19 the descendants of Hashum, 223; 20 the descendants of Gibbar, 95; 21 the men of Bethlehem, 123; 22 the men of Netophah, 56; 23 the men of Anathoth, 128; 24 the descendants of Azmaveth, 42; 25 the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743; 26 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; 27 the men of Michmash, 122; 28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; 29 the descendants of Nebo, 52; 30 the descendants of Magbish, 156; 31 the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254; 32 the descendants of Harim, 320; 33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725; 34 the men of Jericho, 345; 35 and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630. 36 The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973; 37 the descendants of Immer, 1,052; 38 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247; 39 and the descendants of Harim, 1,017. 40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah), 74. 41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 128. 42 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai, 139 in all. 43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, 47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 49 the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephusim, 51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. 55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami. 58 The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all. 59 The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they could not prove that their families were descended from Israel: 60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 652 in all. 61 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 62 These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim. 64 The whole assembly numbered 42,360, 65 in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68 When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to rebuild the house of God on its original site. 69 According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments. 70 So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people, settled in their own towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
Ezra 3
By the seventh month, the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set up the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD—both the morning and evening burnt offerings—even though they feared the people of the land. 4 They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day. 5 After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings and those for New Moons and for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to the LORD. 6 On the first day of the seventh month, the Israelites began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, although the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. 7 They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia. 8 In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the LORD. 9 So Jeshua and his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Yehudah), and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together to supervise those working on the house of God. 10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as David king of Israel had prescribed. 11 And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid. 12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully. 13 The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.
Luke 8
Soon afterward, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, 2 as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means. 4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told them this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the seedlings. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprang up and produced a crop—a hundredfold.” As Jesus said this, He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 9 Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ 11 Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 The seeds along the path are those who hear, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall away. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop. 16 No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. 18 Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.” 19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were unable to reach Him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.” 21 But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out.” 22 One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So He got into a boat with them and set out. 23 As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!” 26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs. 28 When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30 “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss. 32 There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside. 35 So the people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man whom the demons had left, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Meanwhile, those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, because great fear had taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back. 38 The man whom the demons had left begged to go with Jesus. But He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and describe how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed all over the town how much Jesus had done for him. 40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. 41 Just then a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house, 42 because his only daughter, who was about twelve, was dying. As Jesus went with him, the crowds pressed around Him, 43 including a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on physicians, but no one was able to heal her. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.” 46 But Jesus declared, “Someone touched Me, for I know that power has gone out from Me.” 47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not escape notice, came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched Him and how she had immediately been healed. 48 “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While He was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he told Jairus. “Do not bother the Teacher anymore.” 50 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When He entered the house, He did not allow anyone to go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.” 53 And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she got up. And He directed that she be given something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
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.
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.