Saturday, August 5, 2017

GN-DBRP_218 JER.32 JER.33 PRO.3.18-35 1CO.11


JEREMIAH 32-33:
In yesterday’s reading we heard some of Jeremiah’s most important words:

Jer. 31:33-34 NLT … this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD.

“I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. … I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

When you think about it, what God has always wanted is rather simple: He would like to be our God, and He would like us to be— and act like, His people.

PROVERBS 3b:
Let’s read verses 5-8 as a reminder, because these represent the core of Proverbs.

Prov. 3:5 GNT Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.
6 Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.
7 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.
8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains.

1CORINTHIANS 11:
In chapter 10 Paul wrapped up his discussion about food offered to idols. And an important part is to learn from what happened to Israel. Finally he summarized:

1Cor. 10:31 NLT “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.”

GNT Translation note:
1Cor. 11:20 When you meet together as a group, it [turns out not to be//is not] the Lord's Supper that you eat.

NLT Translation notes:
Prov. 3:14 For [she,] wisdom[,] is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with [Lady Wisdom//her].
====
1Cor. 11:3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is [the] man [(her husband or her father)], and the head of Christ is God.
5 But a woman dishonors her headc if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this [would be//is] the same as shaving her head.
6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut [short] or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.
9 And [the first] man was not made for [the first] woman, but [the first] woman was made for [the first] man.


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NL-DBRP_218 JER.32 JER.33 PRO.3.18-35 1CO.11


JEREMIAH 32-33:
In yesterday’s reading we heard some of Jeremiah’s most important words:

Jer. 31:33-34 NLT … this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD.

“I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. … I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

When you think about it, what God has always wanted is rather simple: He would like to be our God, and He would like us to be— and act like, His people.

PROVERBS 3b:
Let’s read verses 5-8 as a reminder, because these represent the core of Proverbs.

Prov. 3:5 GNT Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.
6 Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.
7 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.
8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains.

1CORINTHIANS 11:
In chapter 10 Paul wrapped up his discussion about food offered to idols. And an important part is to learn from what happened to Israel. Finally he summarized:

1Cor. 10:31 NLT “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.”

GNT Translation note:
1Cor. 11:20 When you meet together as a group, it [turns out not to be//is not] the Lord's Supper that you eat.

NLT Translation notes:
Prov. 3:14 For [she,] wisdom[,] is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with [Lady Wisdom//her].
====
1Cor. 11:3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is [the] man [(her husband or her father)], and the head of Christ is God.
5 But a woman dishonors her headc if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this [would be//is] the same as shaving her head.
6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut [short] or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.
9 And [the first] man was not made for [the first] woman, but [the first] woman was made for [the first] man.


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Friday, August 4, 2017

DayStarters_005 JHN.3


Re-release of NT reading from GN series edition 172: John 3.


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GN-DBRP_217 JER.30 JER.31 PRO.3.1-18 1CO.10 1CO.11.1


JEREMIAH 30-31:
Yesterday we heard more of Jeremiah’s struggle against false prophets. Just like in this day, the false message is what people desire to hear, even though the truth is actually better for us and much better for our preparation. An often quoted verse from yesterday’s reading is Jer. 29:11:

Jer. 29:11 NLT For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.

I think it good to bear in mind that this was NOT spoken to the Jews left behind in Israel's land, but was part of the letter to the exiles in Babylon.

PROVERBS 3a:
In yesterday’s reading we heard that following the path of wisdom is the way of common sense, and that leads one to avoid reckless sin of all kinds. It is best to follow the example of godly men. Lady Wisdom appears again in today’s chapter in verses 13-18, although, for naturalness sake in English, the GNT does not make use of personification like the Hebrew.

1CORINTHIANS 10:
In chapter 8, we heard that Christians who have ‘superior wisdom’ sometimes need to give up their ‘rights’ for the sake of not causing their brothers and sisters to fall or be tempted. (Often not really ‘rights’, but privileges we get too possessive about.) And that led Paul in chapter 9 to talk of the rights he and Barnabas had given up for the Gospel.

GNT Translation notes:
1Cor. 10:2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized[— so to speak,] as followers of Moses.
23 [Some people will say,] “We are allowed to do anything,” [0//so they say.] That is true, but not everything is good. [Okay!] “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful.
29 that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience. “Well, then,” someone [will ask//asks], “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience?

NLT Translation notes:
Jer. 31:17 There is hope for your future,” says the LORD.
“Your children will come [back] again to their own land.
====
Prov. 3:13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For [she,] wisdom[,] is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with [Lady Wisdom//her].
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold [on to] her tightly.
====
1Cor. 10:4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and [by that, I mean that] that rock was Christ.
20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are [actually] offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.
24 Don’t [just] be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” [Then] Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.
29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) [So now, someone is sure to ask, “[:/For] why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?
30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?[”]


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NL-DBRP_217 JER.30 JER.31 PRO.3.1-18 1CO.10 1CO.11.1


JEREMIAH 30-31:
Yesterday we heard more of Jeremiah’s struggle against false prophets. Just like in this day, the false message is what people desire to hear, even though the truth is actually better for us and much better for our preparation. An often quoted verse from yesterday’s reading is Jer. 29:11:

Jer. 29:11 NLT For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.

I think it good to bear in mind that this was NOT spoken to the Jews left behind in Israel's land, but was part of the letter to the exiles in Babylon.

PROVERBS 3a:
In yesterday’s reading we heard that following the path of wisdom is the way of common sense, and that leads one to avoid reckless sin of all kinds. It is best to follow the example of godly men. Lady Wisdom appears again in today’s chapter in verses 13-18, although, for naturalness sake in English, the GNT does not make use of personification like the Hebrew.

1CORINTHIANS 10:
In chapter 8, we heard that Christians who have ‘superior wisdom’ sometimes need to give up their ‘rights’ for the sake of not causing their brothers and sisters to fall or be tempted. (Often not really ‘rights’, but privileges we get too possessive about.) And that led Paul in chapter 9 to talk of the rights he and Barnabas had given up for the Gospel.

GNT Translation notes:
1Cor. 10:2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized[— so to speak,] as followers of Moses.
23 [Some people will say,] “We are allowed to do anything,” [0//so they say.] That is true, but not everything is good. [Okay!] “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful.
29 that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience. “Well, then,” someone [will ask//asks], “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience?

NLT Translation notes:
Jer. 31:17 There is hope for your future,” says the LORD.
“Your children will come [back] again to their own land.
====
Prov. 3:13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For [she,] wisdom[,] is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with [Lady Wisdom//her].
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold [on to] her tightly.
====
1Cor. 10:4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and [by that, I mean that] that rock was Christ.
20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are [actually] offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.
24 Don’t [just] be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” [Then] Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.
29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) [So now, someone is sure to ask, “[:/For] why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?
30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?[”]


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Thursday, August 3, 2017

DayStarters_004 JHN.2


Re-release of New Testament reading from GN edition 171: John 2


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GN-DBRP_216 JER.28 JER.29 PRO.2 1CO.9


JEREMIAH 28-29:
In yesterday's reading we moved from more poetic content to the story of Jeremiah being opposed by priests, other prophets, and royal officials. Remember that God has promised that he will protect Jeremiah in the face of opposition, and this certainly was put to the test. At the end of yesterday's reading, we heard how Jeremiah prophesied that more valuable articles would be taken away from the Temple, and that they would be brought back eventually. When we read the book of Ezra, we will hear that this prophecy was fulfilled.

PROVERBS 2:
Yesterday's reading in Proverbs contained the first speech of Lady Wisdom, the personification of God's wisdom. Just as an incidental point and because we have 1-2 Indonesian listeners, I would like to explain: Because personification is shown by ‘she’ and ‘her’ in English, these portions come out poorly when translated literally into Indonesian, which doesn't keep track of masculine/feminine gender. An added problem is that the Indonesian language seems to never use personification. But even in English, it does seem weird when the abstract noun Wisdom builds a house, calls out to people who pass by, and does other human actions.

1CORINTHIANS 9:
In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul began his explanation about whether Christians can eat food left over from sacrifices to idols. To me it is another sign of inspiration and God-given wisdom that Paul did not just give a rule to answer this question.

GNT Translation notes:
Jer. 28:15 [After telling Hananiah that, I added,//Then I told Hananiah this, and added,] “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, and you are making these people believe a lie.
====
1Cor. 9:22 Among the weak [0?//in faith] I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.
[Greek lacks the words ‘in faith’ here. The meaning seems to be weak in regard to believing the full implications of how Christ fulfilled the Jewish law for those who are joined as one with him.]

NLT Translation note:
1Cor. 9:10 Wasn’t he actually speaking [about/to] us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.


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