But know that the Lord has set apart for himself the one who is godly. The Lord will hear when I call to him. Psalm 4:3
1 Chronicles 3-4
1 Chronicles 3
Descendants of David
1 Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron:
The firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;
2 the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
3 the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital;
the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.
4 These six were born to him in Hebron, and he reigned there seven years and six months.
David reigned in Jerusalem 33 years, 5 and these were born to him in Jerusalem:
Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; these four from Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel.
6 David had nine other sons: Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
9 All these were the sons of David, in addition to the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister.
Descendants of Solomon
10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam:
Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, and Josiah his son.
15 The sons of Josiah:
the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, and the fourth Shallum.
16 The sons of Jehoiakim:
Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah his son.
Descendants of Jeconiah
17 The sons of Jeconiah, the captive:
Shealtiel his son, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
19 The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei.
The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20 and five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab Hesed.
21 The descendants of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah.
22 The descendants of Shecaniah were six: Shemaiah, and the sons of Shemaiah:
Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat.
23 The sons of Neariah were three: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam.
24 The sons of Elioenai were seven: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.
1 Chronicles 4
Descendants of Judah
1 The descendants of Judah:
Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
2 Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.
3 These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. The name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. 4 Penuel was the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah.
These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.
5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.
7 The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8 Hakkoz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.
The Prayer of Jabez
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.”
10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from harm, that I may not bear pain!”
God granted him that which he requested.
More Descendants of Judah
11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton fathered Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah fathered Nahash. These are the men of Recah:
13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah.
The sons of Othniel: Hathath.
14 Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim, for they were craftsmen.
15 The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam.
The son of Elah: Kenaz.
16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18 His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.
19 The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and the father of Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth.
The Sons of Shelah
21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah:
Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; 22 and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. These records are ancient. 23 These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah. They lived there with the king for his work.
The Descendants and Cities of Simeon
24 The sons of Simeon:
Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; 25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, and Mishma his son.
26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.
27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, and their whole family did not multiply like the sons of Judah. 28 They lived at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual, 29 at Bilhah, at Ezem, at Tolad, 30 at Bethuel, at Hormah, at Ziklag, 31 at Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until David’s reign. 32 Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities; 33 and all their villages that were around the same cities, to Baal. These were their settlements, and they recorded their genealogy.
Their Conquest of Gedor
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.
38 These mentioned by name were leaders in their families. Their fathers’ houses increased greatly.
39 They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. 40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land wide, quiet, and peaceful; for those who lived there before were descended from Ham.
41 These men, who were written by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites and the Meunites there in their tents and destroyed them utterly to this day. Then they inhabited their place because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42 Some of them, of the sons of Simeon, 500 men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 43 They attacked the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.
Acts 24
Tertullus Accuses Paul Before Felix
1 After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.
2 When Paul was called, Tertullus opened the prosecution, saying, “Because of you we enjoy much peace, and prosperity comes to this nation by your foresight. 3 We acknowledge this in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness, 4 but that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.
5 We have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him and wanted to judge him according to our law. 7 But Lysias, the commander, came by and with great violence, took him away, out of our hands. 8 By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 9 The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.
Paul Defends His Testimony
10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered,
“Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 11 seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12 In the temple, they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law and which are written in the prophets; 15 having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 In this I also practice, always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 19 They ought to appear before you and bring accusation if they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one thing that I cried out, standing among them: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged before you today!’ ”
Felix Holds Paul in Custody
22 But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, adjourned the hearing, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.
24 But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, Felix became terrified and answered, “Go your way for now, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” 26 Meanwhile, he also hoped that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him often and talked with him.
27 But when two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
Psalm 4
Answer Me When I Call
For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm by David.
1 Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness.
Give me relief from my distress.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor?
Will you love vanity and seek after falsehood?
Selah.
3 But know that the Lord has set apart for himself the one who is godly.
The Lord will hear when I call to him.
4 Stand in awe, and do not sin.
Search your own heart on your bed, and be still.
Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.
Put your trust in the Lord.
6 Many say, “Who will show us any good?”
O Lord, let the light of your face shine on us.
7 You have put gladness in my heart,
more than when their grain and their new wine are increased.
8 In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, make me live in safety.
Proverbs 18:16-18
16 A man’s gift makes room for him,
and brings him before great men.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right,
until another comes and questions him.
18 The lot settles disputes
and keeps strong ones apart.