One Year Bible Reflections - Flipbook - Page 13
JANUARY
11
your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t
just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for
we are descendants of Abraham.’ That
means nothing, for I tell you, God
can create children of Abraham from
these very stones. 10 Even now the ax
of God’s judgment is poised, ready to
sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every
tree that does not produce good fruit
will be chopped down and thrown into
the fire.
11 “I baptize with* water those who
repent of their sins and turn to God. But
someone is coming soon who is greater
than I am—so much greater that I’m not
worthy even to be his slave and carry his
sandals. He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and with fire.* 12He is ready
to separate the chaff from the wheat
with his winnowing fork. Then he will
clean up the threshing area, gathering
the wheat into his barn but burning the
chaff with never-ending fire.”
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the
Jordan River to be baptized by John.
14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I
am the one who needs to be baptized by
you,” he said, “so why are you coming to
me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done,
for we must carry out all that God requires.*” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up
out of the water, the heavens were
opened* and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and settling on
him. 17And a voice from heaven said,
“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings
me great joy.”
4:1 Then
Jesus was led by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted there
by the devil. 2For forty days and forty
nights he fasted and became very hungry.
3 During that time the devil* came
and said to him, “If you are the Son of
God, tell these stones to become loaves
of bread.”
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
3
‘People do not live by bread
alone,
but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.’*”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy
city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of
the Temple, 6and said, “If you are the
Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures
say,
‘He will order his angels to protect
you.
And they will hold you up with their
hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot
on a stone.’*”
7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures
also say, ‘You must not test the Lord
your God.’*”
8 Next the devil took him to the peak
of a very high mountain and showed
him all the kingdoms of the world and
their glory. 9“I will give it all to you,” he
said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told
him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord
your God
and serve only him.’*”
11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
3:7 Or coming to be baptized. 3:11a Or in. 3:11b Or in
the Holy Spirit and in fire. 3:15 Or for we must fulfill all
righteousness. 3:16 Some manuscripts read opened to
him. 4:3 Greek the tempter. 4:4 Deut 8:3. 4:6 Ps
91:11-12. 4:7 Deut 6:16. 4:10 Deut 6:13.
PSALM 3:1-8
A psalm of David, regarding the time David
fled from his son Absalom.
O Lord, I have so many enemies;
so many are against me.
2 So many are saying,
“God will never rescue him!”
Interlude*
1
3
But you, O Lord, are a shield
around me;
you are my glory, the one who
holds my head high.