Jan 14, 2024
Do you know an elderly person who can no longer read the Bible? Or, do you know someone who would enjoy listening to audio Scripture but who is not able to use the Internet? An easy way to help such people is by sharing MP3 recordings via inexpensive MP3 players. Many good podcast apps (like AntennaPod for Android) have settings for how many episodes can be downloaded. Set the number at 400 and you should get a year’s worth, with a few extras that can be deleted. The challenge then is to find out where your device saves the downloads. Hint: For Android devices, look in the Android/data folder.
I remind you that the use of the New Living Translation for these podcasts is due to the generosity of Tyndale House Foundation. The full attribution text for the NLT is found at the end of the episode notes.
GENESIS 25-26:
Yesterday in Genesis 24 we read the charming story of how Rebecca
became Isaac's wife.
JOB 14:
In chapter 13, Job challenged Zophar and his other two friends with
these words,
6 GNT Listen while I state my case.
7 Why are you lying?
Do you think your lies will benefit God?
8 Are you trying to defend him?
Are you going to argue his case in court?
9 If God looks at you closely, will he find anything good?
Do you think you can fool God the way you fool others?
…
14 I am ready to risk my life.
15 I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me?
I am going to state my case to him.
16 It may even be that my boldness will save me,
since no wicked person would dare to face God.
Job said in 13:15 that he would present his case to God, and that is exactly what he does, starting in verse 19 (in the GNT) or 20 (in the NLT). And Job continues to speak to God through all of chapter 14.
MARK 9:
Yesterday at the end of Mark 8, Jesus gave this requirement for all
his followers:
PET “Everyone who wants to follow Me must leave his own self interests, and follow Me continually with this resolve, ‘No matter if I die— even if that be by crucifixion, I will keep following the Lord!’”
[The PET stands for the Plain English Translation. That is an English translation of our Plain Indonesian Translation (TSI).]
The rest of the chapter has other important verses including this one:
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
NLT Translation notes:
Mrk. 9:1 Jesus went
on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will
not die before they see [God coming and setting up his
Kingdom on earth to reign in great power!//the Kingdom of God
arrive in great power!]”
[In most languages (and I really think we need to include English) kingdoms don't 'come' or 'arrive'. Similarly, cabbages don't read books. Such things are collocational clashes. The kingdom of North America doesn't move to South America! The Lord's prayer is a famous example. Instead of 'May your kingdom come' it is better in most of the world's languages to say, “May You come and reign here as king.”]
9 As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until [He,/0] the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
12 Jesus responded, “[That's right.//0] Elijah is [0/indeed] coming to come first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that [I,/0] the Son of Man, must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt?
25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil f spirit. “Listen, you [demon/spirit] [who/that] makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
26 Then the [evil/0] spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.”
29 Jesus replied, “[That/This] kind can be cast out only by prayer. ”
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.