Legacy Standard Bible

Exodus 7 - 8

7Then Yahweh said to Moses, “aSee, I 1set you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2“You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother aAaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 3“But aI will harden Pharaoh’s heart with stiffness that I may bmultiply My signs and My 1wonders in the land of Egypt. 4“But aPharaoh will not listen to you. And I will 1set My hand upon Egypt and bbring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by cgreat judgments. 5“aThen the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I bstretch out My hand against Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” 6So Moses and Aaron did it; aas Yahweh commanded them, thus they did. 7Now Moses was aeighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent

8And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘1,aWork a miraculous wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘bTake your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a 2serpent.’” 10So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as Yahweh had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and 1his 2servants, and it abecame a 3serpent. 11Then Pharaoh also acalled for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the 1,bmagicians of Egypt, did 2the same with ctheir secret arts. 12And each one threw down his staff, and they became 1serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13Yet aPharaoh’s heart was 1hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Water Turning to Blood

14Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is 1hard with firmness; he refuses to let the people go. 15“Go to Pharaoh in the morning 1as ahe is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand bthe staff that was turned into a serpent. 16“aAnd you shall say to him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “bLet My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” 17‘Thus says Yahweh, “aBy this you shall know that I am Yahweh: behold, I am about to strike 1the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and bit will be turned to blood. 18“aAnd the fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will 1become foul, and the Egyptians will bbe weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and astretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their 1streams, and over their pools and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
20So Moses and Aaron did thus, as Yahweh had commanded. And he raised up 1,athe staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and ball the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21And the fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile 1became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22aYet the 1magicians of Egypt did 2the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was 3hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken. 23Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not set his heart even on this. 24So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25And seven full days 1passed after Yahweh had struck the Nile.

The Plague of Frogs

81Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “aLet My people go, that they may serve Me. 2“But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I 1will smite your whole territory with frogs. 3“And the Nile will aswarm with frogs, and they will go up and come into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and on your people and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. 4“So the frogs will come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”’” 51Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘aStretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the 2streams and over the pools, and cause the frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the 1,afrogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7aAnd the 1magicians did 2the same with their secret arts; they caused the frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.
8Then Pharaoh acalled for Moses and Aaron and said, “bEntreat Yahweh that He may cause the frogs to depart from me and from my people; and cI will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.” 9And Moses said to Pharaoh, “1May the honor be yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses, that they may remain only in the Nile?”
10Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is ano one like Yahweh our God. 11“And the afrogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.” 12Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and aMoses cried out to Yahweh concerning the frogs which He had set upon Pharaoh. 13So Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields. 14So they piled them in heaps, and the land 1became foul. 15Then Pharaoh saw that there was relief, and he 1hardened his heart with firmness and adid not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Gnats

16Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become 1gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were 1gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became 2,agnats through all the land of Egypt. 18Then 1the magicians did the same with their secret arts in order to bring forth 2gnats, but athey could not; so there were 3gnats on man and beast. 19And the 1magicians said to Pharaoh, “aThis is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was 2hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Flies

20And Yahweh said to Moses, “aRise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh 1as bhe comes out to the water, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “cLet My people go, that they may serve Me. 21“For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22“aBut on that day I will make a distinction for the land of Goshen, where My people are 1living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that 2,bI, Yahweh, am in the midst of the land. 23“And I will 1put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will happen.”’” 24Then Yahweh did so. And there came heavy swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was alaid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.
25And Pharaoh acalled for Moses and Aaron and said, “bGo, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice to Yahweh our God 1what is aan abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice 2what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us? 27“We must go a athree days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God as He says to us.” 28And Pharaoh said, “aI will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. bEntreat for me.” 29Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall entreat Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only may Pharaoh not adeal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.”
30So aMoses went out from Pharaoh and entreated Yahweh. 31And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses and caused the swarms of flies to depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32Then Pharaoh 1hardened his heart with firmness this time also, and ahe did not let the people go.

Luke 21

The Widow’s Offering

21aAnd He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2And He saw a poor widow putting 1in atwo 2lepta. 3And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. 4“For they all put in their gifts out of their abundance; but she, out of what she lacked, put in all 1that she had afor living.”
5aAnd while some were talking about the temple, that it had been adorned with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, 6“As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which athere will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”
7So they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the 1sign when these things are about to take place?” 8And He said, “See to it that you are not deceived; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘aI am He,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ bDo not go after them. 9“And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”

Signs of Christ’s Return

10Then He continued saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be terrors and great 1signs from heaven.
12“But before all these things, athey will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, 1bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13“aIt will result in 1an opportunity for your testimony. 14“aSo set in your hearts not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15for aI will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16“But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18“Yet anot a hair of your head will perish. 19“aBy your perseverance you will gain your 1lives.
20“But when you see Jerusalem asurrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. 21“Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of 1the city must leave, and athose who are in the countryside must not enter 2the city; 22because these are adays of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23“Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for athere will be great distress upon the 1land and wrath against this people, 24and they will fall by athe edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and bJerusalem will be ctrampled under foot by the Gentiles until dthe times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

When Christ Returns

25“And there will be 1signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the 1world; for the powers of 2the heavens will be shaken. 27“aAnd then they will see bthe Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because ayour redemption is drawing near.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree

29Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they put forth leaves and you see it for yourselves, aknow that summer is now near. 31“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that athe kingdom of God is near. 32“Truly I say to you, this 1generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33“aHeaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
34“aBut be on guard, so that your hearts will not be overcome with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35for it will come upon all those who inhabit the face of all the earth. 36“But akeep on the alert at all times, praying earnestly that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to bstand before the Son of Man.”
37Now 1during the day He was ateaching in the temple, but 2,bduring the night He would go out and spend it on 3,cthe mount called “of 4Olives.” 38And all the people would get up aearly in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

Psalm 55

He Will Never Allow the Righteous to Be Shaken

55
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A 1Maskil of David.
aGive ear to my prayer, O God;And bdo not hide Yourself from my supplication.2Give aheed to me and answer me;I am restless in my bcomplaint and 1,cam surely distracted,3Because of the voice of the enemy,Because of the apressure of the wicked;For they bshake wickedness down upon meAnd in anger they cbear a grudge against me.4My aheart is in anguish within me,And the terrors of bdeath have fallen upon me.5Fear and atrembling come upon me,And 1,bhorror has covered me.6I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!I would fly away and 1,abe at rest.7“Behold, I would wander far away,I would alodge in the wilderness. 1 Selah.8“I would hasten to my place of refugeFrom the astormy wind and tempest.”91Confuse, O Lord, adivide their tongues,For I have seen bviolence and strife in the city.10Day and night they go around her upon her walls,And wickedness and mischief are in her midst.11aDestruction is in her midst;bOppression and deceit do not depart from her 1streets.12For it is anot an enemy who reproaches me,Then I could bear it;Nor is it one who hates me who bhas magnified himself against me,Then I could hide myself from him.13But it is you, a man 1my equal,My aclose companion and my 2,bfamiliar friend;14We who had sweet counsel togetheraWalked in the house of God in the throng.15Let 1death come adeceitfully upon them;Let them bgo down alive to Sheol,For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.16As for me, I shall acall upon God,And Yahweh will save me.17aEvening and bmorning and at cnoon, I will bring my complaint and moan,And He will hear my voice.18He will aredeem my soul in peace 1from the battle which is against me,For they are bmany who strive with me.19God will ahear and 1answer them—Even the one bwho 2sits enthroned from of old— Selah.Because they 3do not change,And cdo not fear God.201My companion has put forth his hands against athose who were at peace with him;He has 2,bviolated his covenant.21His 1speech was asmoother than butter,But his heart was war;His words were bsofter than oil,Yet they were drawn cswords.22aCast 1your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you;bHe will never allow the righteous to 2,cbe shaken.23But You, O God, will bring them down to the 1,apit of corruption;bMen of bloodshed and deceit will cnot live out half their days.But I will dtrust in You.