NIV, Quest Bible for Teens: The Question and Answer Bible

NIV

QUEST

STUDY BIBLE

FOR TEENS

NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens

Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2011 by Zondervan

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530, USA

The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®

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Published by Zondervan

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49530, USA

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eISBN: 9780310441069

NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens notes copyright © 2011 by Christianity Today International; The NIV Concordance copyright © 1982, 1984 by Zondervan; The NIV Center-Column Cross-Reference System copyright © 1984 by Zondervan.Maps by International Mapping.Copyright © 2009 by Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Color Time Line Copyright © 1995 by Zondervan.Interior Time Lines copyright © 2011 by Zondervan. Interior charts copyright © 2011 by Zondervan. Reading plans and Overview of the Bible adapted from the NIV Student Bible, Revised, notes by Philip Yancey and Tim Stafford with Christianity Today International. Copyright © 2011 by Zondervan. Used by permission.

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Table of Contents

Articles and Resources

OLD TESTAMENT

NEW TESTAMENT

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis (Ge)

Exodus (Ex)

Leviticus (Lev)

Numbers (Nu)

Deuteronomy (Dt)

Joshua (Jos)

Judges (Jdg)

Ruth (Ru)

1 Samuel (1Sa)

2 Samuel (2Sa)

1 Kings (1Ki)

2 Kings (2Ki)

1 Chronicles (1Ch)

2 Chronicles (2Ch)

Ezra (Ezr)

Nehemiah (Ne)

Esther (Est)

Job (Job)

Psalms (Ps)

Proverbs (Pr)

Ecclesiastes (Ecc)

Song of Songs (SS)

Isaiah (Isa)

Jeremiah (Jer)

Lamentations (La)

Ezekiel (Eze)

Daniel (Da)

Hosea (Hos)

Joel (Joel)

Amos (Am)

Obadiah (Ob)

Jonah (Jnh)

Micah (Mic)

Nahum (Na)

Habakkuk (Hab)

Zephaniah (Zep)

Haggai (Hag)

Zechariah (Zec)

Malachi (Mal)

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew (Mt)

Mark (Mk)

Luke (Lk)

John (Jn)

Acts (Ac)

Romans (Ro)

1 Corinthians (1Co)

2 Corinthians (2Co)

Galatians (Gal)

Ephesians (Eph)

Philippians (Php)

Colossians (Col)

1 Thessalonians (1Th)

2 Thessalonians (2Th)

1 Timothy (1Ti)

2 Timothy (2Ti)

Titus (Titus)

Philemon (Phm)

Hebrews (Heb)

James (Jas)

1 Peter (1Pe)

2 Peter (2Pe)

1 John (1Jn)

2 John (2Jn)

3 John (3Jn)

Jude (Jude)

Revelation (Rev)

Alphabetical Order of the Books of the Bible

The books of the New Testament are indicated by italics.

Acts

Amos

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Colossians

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Daniel

Deuteronomy

Ecclesiastes

Ephesians

Esther

Exodus

Ezekiel

Ezra

Galatians

Genesis

Habakkuk

Haggai

Hebrews

Hosea

Isaiah

James

Jeremiah

Job

Joel

John

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jonah

Joshua

Jude

Judges

1 Kings

2 Kings

Lamentations

Leviticus

Luke

Malachi

Mark

Matthew

Micah

Nahum

Nehemiah

Numbers

Obadiah

1 Peter

2 Peter

Philemon

Philippians

Proverbs

Psalms

Revelation

Romans

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

Song of Songs

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Zechariah

Zephaniah

Articles and Resources

Alphabetical Order of the Books of the Bible

Welcome to the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, eBook Edition

How to Use the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, eBook Edition

Acknowledgments

Contributors

Reading Plans

Overview of the Bible

Table of Weights and Measures

Getting to Know God

Index to Subjects

Index to 20 Big Ideas

Index to Profiles and Top 5 Lists

Index to Charts

Index to In-Text Maps

Maps

Preface

Welcome to the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens

If you’ve ever read the Bible and found yourself asking the tough questions…

• Why did that happen?

• What could this possibly mean?

• How does this make any difference in my life right now?

…then this Bible is for you.

The NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens was specifically and carefully designed for you: the high school student trying to figure out the world. Its features are meant to be helpful for those new to the Bible and those already committed to Christ. For both, the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens will engage and enlighten by helping you discover the meaning behind hard-to-understand verses, gain insight into important topics that matter most to you and apply Scripture as you live your life.

The original Quest Study Bible was known for the unique question-based format of its notes. These notes (found in the margins of the Bible text) offered easy-to-understand answers to the provocative questions that come up when reading the Bible. For this teen edition, we have combined the deep teaching of those study Bible questions with decades of real-life stories from the teen magazine Ignite Your Faith (also known as Youth for Christ or Campus Life magazine). These articles reveal how real teens worked out the meaning of their faith in the real world. The combination of the notes from the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens with the editorial expertise of the Ignite Your Faith team makes this Bible a life-changing blend of a study Bible with a devotional Bible.

Not only does this Bible combine theological truth with practical application but it focuses on the issues you care about. Ignite Your Faith, with National Christian Poll, surveyed over a thousand high school students, parents and youth pastors to discover the questions that are on the hearts of today’s teen believers. From that survey, we identified 20 important topics (we call them Big Ideas) that range from sex to self-worth to God’s will. You will find 366 special articles throughout this Bible that answer questions in those 20 key areas. Some of these articles tell the stories of actual teens and some contain quotes. In many instances, we changed the names of those teens to protect privacy. We invite you to either read these articles as you come across them in your Bible reading, read them by topic (see the Index to 20 Big Ideas or go through them one by one for a year’s worth of daily devotions.

What Makes the Quest Approach Different?

The NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens is like a press conference. There’s a prepared statement—the text of the Bible. In this case, that Biblical text is the highly respected New International Version, the world’s most popular modern English Bible translation. For more details on the NIV translation, see "Preface."

After a prepared text is presented at a press conference, reporters ask their most pressing questions to the spokesperson. The same goes here. In the margins of every page, you will find questions about specific verses. The answers come from respected resource people—Bible scholars, pastors and writers—who provide interesting answers in an engaging style.

Here are some of the specific features you’ll find in this Bible:

BOOK INTRODUCTIONS

At the beginning of each Bible book, you’ll find direct answers to specific questions about the book: Who wrote it? Why? What should I look for as I read it? You’ll also begin to gain an understanding of some of the themes covered in each Bible book. In addition, each book introduction gives you an idea of the Big Ideas addressed in the book.

The time lines included in the book introductions and the maps strategically located throughout the Bible will help you locate when and where the action being described took place.

SIDE-COLUMN NOTES

In the margins, you will find question-based notes that clarify the meaning of the Bible text. The chapter and verse from the Bible text being referenced is placed in parentheses behind each question. These notes deal with such issues as:

Confusing words and phrases:

The cultural context. When reading the Bible, it is important to understand what was going on in the culture of the day.

God’s mysterious ways. Why did God do the things he did—like punish a nation for its king’s decision to take a census? We cannot completely know God’s mind, but we can venture some plausible explanations.

Controversial passages. While recognizing that portions of the Bible have been debated for centuries, these study notes try to offer balanced summaries of various interpretations.

Peculiar types of writing. Why read lists of names? How should Biblical poetry be interpreted? The notes help explain the significance of these kinds of literature.

Passages that cover the same or similar events or topics. Look for the LINK feature to point you to other places in the Bible where a related event or topic is mentioned.

ARTICLES

On many pages of this Bible, you will find special articles. These articles differ from notes. They are slightly longer and focus on the 20 Big Ideas that our surveyed teens, youth pastors and parents said were important to high school students.

These articles can be read in three ways:

As verse-related notes. Like the notes, articles can be read while you do your normal Bible reading to help explain the practical meaning of Scripture.

As verse-based devotions. Because there are 366 devotions, you could start with the article written for Genesis 1:27 and read one article every day for a full year before ending in Revelation.

As Big Idea-based devotions. Instead of reading articles based on where they fall in Scripture, you could read these devotionals based on what topics interest you. See the list of the 20 Big Ideas and the articles that relate to each idea.

PROFILES

The profiles highlight characters of the Bible, specifically those who probably were teenagers or young adults when their story took place. These profiles were written in the form of imaginary interviews to bring these real people to life in a fun way.

TOP 5 LISTS

Taken from the archives of Ignite Your Faith magazine, the Top 5 Lists provide facts and information of cool, interesting, meaningful and sometimes weird things found in the Bible.

INDEX TO SUBJECTS

The Index to Subjects at the back of this Bible lists major subjects that may be of interest and gives you the Scripture verses where the notes or articles related to those subjects may be found.

INDEX TO 20 BIG IDEAS

This index at the back of this Bible lists every article according to the 20 Big Ideas. Each article is listed by the question it asks; it also gives the Scripture verses where the articles appear.

OTHER HELPS

In the back of the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens you will find indexes to the in-text maps and the in-text charts. Other useful helps include lists of other features of this Bible, including a concordance, maps and more.

READING PLANS

A carefully designed, multi-level reading plan starts here. You can choose from three courses. Course 1 features two-week reading plans that take you quickly into Scriptures every Christian should know. Course 2 lists 180 passages to be read over six months; taken together, these selections provide a good foundation of Bible understanding. Course 3 takes you completely through the Bible in three years, alternating between Old Testament and New Testament readings.

THE WORD OF GOD

Far more important than any of the tools we’ve provided is the text itself, the Word of God. Whatever your situation, whatever your need, we offer this new NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens with the hope and the prayer that the power of God’s Word may penetrate and transform your heart and life.

How to Use the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, Digital eBook Edition

Thank you for purchasing the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, eBook edition. This digital edition is designed to provide all of the contents of print editions of the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, in an eBook format for your digital device.

For more detailed information about the contents of the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, please read the Welcome to The NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens.

Questions About the Bible

This eBook edition contains over 7,000 questions & answers clarifying familiar and unfamiliar passages in the Bible and over 360 articles that explore 20 Big Ideas.

Questions are indicated by a [?] icon and question mark and will appear throughout the Scripture text. Clicking the icon will present a question about the Bible relevant to the referring passage of scripture.

Use the [BACK TO] links to return to scripture after navigating to questions about the Bible or following links to Big Ideas.

For a complete list of articles that explore 20 Big Ideas view the Index to 20 Big Ideas.

Profiles and Top 5 lists

Profiles highlight characters of the Bible, specifically those who probably were teens or young adults when their story took place.

Taken from archives of Ignite Your Faith Magazine, the Top 5 Lists provide facts and information of cool, interesting, meaningful and sometimes weird things found in the Bible.

For a complete list of Profiles and Top 5 lists view the Index to Profiles and Top 5 Lists.

Cross references

All references in the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens, digital eBook edition, are represented as standard links.

Key navigation links include:

(†) Cross references

[BACK TO] Return to scripture

[1] Numerical references to footnotes

Cross references are indicated by a (†). When a single word is addressed by both text notes and cross references, the NIV text note letter comes first. The cross references will appear throughout the Scripture text.

Use the [BACK TO] links to return to scripture after navigating to references.

Maps & Charts

The NIV Quest Study Biblefor Teens contains maps and two-color in-text charts, providing background information that is helpful in understanding the Bible.

See Table of Contents for a complete list of the Maps available.

For extended use of color maps: Perform lock screen function on your device to secure set map orientation for best zooming and sharing capability. This is helpful for displaying maps to others and maximizing your devices zooming capabilities.

We have made every effort to include every visual element from the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens print edition to this digital ePub edition. Please note: font size selection and screen size and resolution of any portable device effect how visual elements are represented. Your device might allow you to tap images and zoom in on them.

Acknowledgments

The NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens owes its existence to hard work and vision that far predates the start of this project. This Bible is the combination of two long-established publications: The NIV Quest Study Bible, first published in 1994 (a collaboration between Christianity Today International and Zondervan) and the teen magazine Ignite Your Faith, which debuted in 1945 under the name Youth for Christ magazine.

Without the hundreds of individuals who contributed in various ways to the NIV Quest Study Bible or to the magazine known at various times as Youth for Christ, Campus Life or Ignite Your Faith, this Bible would not exist.

The path for this Bible started with the third revision of the regular Quest Study Bible by a team of writers and theologians led by Marshall Shelley and Sam O’Neal. During that process, many Ignite Your Faith representatives—including Phyllis Ten Elshof, Eric Reed, Terumi Echols and Kevin Miller—worked with Zondervan’s Bible Group to simultaneously bring a teen version of the Quest from vision to reality.

That reality was completed by the Ignite Your Faith team, a small staff who shouldered a ton of work. I cannot thank Chris Lutes, Jill DePasquale, Laura Leonard and Marilyn Roe enough.

On the Zondervan side, Shari Vanden Berg managed the project, guided the Ignite Your Faith team through unfamiliar territory, edited every word and coordinated a team of editors and reviewers, including Jane Haradine, Mike Klassen and Jeff Gorter. To all of these invaluable contributors, we express heartfelt gratitude.

Perhaps the biggest thank-you is owed to the hundreds of teenagers whose stories make up the devotional content of this Bible. While Ignite Your Faith no longer exists, this Bible is the perfect final note for a long legacy of creatively engaging and empowering Christian teens to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Todd Hertz

General Editor, NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens

Contributors

General Editor

Todd Hertz

Associate Editor

Chris Lutes

Contributing Editors

Jill DePasquale

Laura Leonard

Editorial Assistant

Marilyn Roe

Contributors

Amy Adair

Katie Allen

Allison Asimakoupoulos

Carla Barnhill

John Brandon

Rebecca Brooks

Jim Burns

Michelle de Carion

Pauline Diaz

Diane Eble

Autumn Flutur

Mark Galli

Christy Heitger

Karen Hutchcraft

Ron Hutchcraft

Autumn Issit

Tom WP Kapr

Jay Kesler

Crystal Kirgiss

Krishana Kraft

Ethan Landes

Karen Langley

Jason Lawrenz

Liberty Lay

Gregg Lewis

Jim Long

Sierra Lowndes

Eric Lyons

Mark Matlock

Dawson McAllister

Elizabeth Miller

Mark Moring

Dean Nelson

Amy Nickerson

Catherine Newhouse

Sam O’Neal

Amber Penney

Barbara Price

Karen Raad

David Rahn

Holly Vicente Robaina

Grady Root

Jerry Root

Bruce Rottschafer

Randa Rottschafer

Rachel Schlabach

Kate Schmelzer

Ruth Senter

Marshall Shelley

Brooke Sisko

Tim Stafford

Jarrett Stevens

LaTonya Taylor

Renee Thompson

Barbara Varenhorst

Reading Plans

Of all the reasons people mention for not reading the Bible, simple discouragement ranks highest. The Bible’s length alone is imposing. More like a self-contained library than a book, it includes 66 different books, by several dozen authors. Little wonder people get confused and discouraged.

The three-course Reading Plan breaks the Bible into more manageable portions. If you’re new to the Bible, begin with Course 1, then proceed to Course 2, and finally—if you’re ambitious—tackle Course 3. Your understanding and appreciation for the Bible will gradually increase.

All three courses assign only one chapter a day, except in a few cases where the chapters are very short. The reading should take only about 10 minutes.

Course 1: Introduction to the Bible

Course 1 is a place to begin reading the Bible. These two-week reading courses take you quickly into passages every Christian should know. Of the 1,189 Bible chapters, why begin with these? First, they are frequently quoted or referred to elsewhere. Second, they are relatively easy to read and understand. Course 1 should whet your appetite for more.

Time Commitment: Two Weeks

Goal: To survey basic Biblical foundations

1. Two Weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus

• Day 1. Luke 1: Preparing for Jesus’ Arrival

• Day 2. Luke 2: The Story of Jesus’ Birth

• Day 3. Mark 1: The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

• Day 4. Mark 9: A Day in the Life of Jesus

• Day 5. Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount

• Day 6. Matthew 6: The Sermon on the Mount

• Day 7. Luke 15: Parables of Jesus

• Day 8. John 3: A Conversation with Jesus

• Day 9. John 14: Jesus’ Final Instructions

• Day 10. John 17: Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples

• Day 11. Matthew 26: Betrayal and Arrest

• Day 12. Matthew 27: Jesus’ Execution on a Cross

• Day 13. John 20: Resurrection

• Day 14. Luke 24: Jesus’ Appearance after Resurrection

2. Two Weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul

• Day 1. Acts 9: The Conversion of Saul

• Day 2. Acts 16: Paul’s Macedonian Call and a Jailbreak

• Day 3. Acts 17: Scenes from Paul’s Missionary Journey

• Day 4. Acts 26: Paul Tells His Life Story to a King

• Day 5. Acts 27: Shipwreck on the Way to Rome

• Day 6. Acts 28: Paul’s Arrival in Rome

• Day 7. Romans 3: Paul’s Theology in a Nutshell

• Day 8. Romans 7: Struggle with Sin

• Day 9. Romans 8: Life in the Spirit

• Day 10. 1 Corinthians 13: Paul’s Description of Love

• Day 11. 1 Corinthians 15: Thoughts on the Afterlife

• Day 12. Galatians 5: Freedom in Christ

• Day 13. Ephesians 3: Paul’s Summary of His Mission

• Day 14. Philippians 2: Imitating Christ

3. Two Weeks on the Old Testament

• Day 1. Genesis 1: The Story of Creation

• Day 2. Genesis 3: The Origin of Sin

• Day 3. Genesis 22: Abraham and Isaac

• Day 4. Exodus 3: Moses’ Encounter with God

• Day 5. Exodus 20: The Gift of the Ten Commandments

• Day 6. 1 Samuel 17: David and Goliath

• Day 7. 2 Samuel 11: David and Bathsheba

• Day 8. 2 Samuel 12: Nathan’s Rebuke of the King

• Day 9. 1 Kings 18: Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

• Day 10. Job 38: God’s Answer to Job

• Day 11. Psalm 51: A Classic Confession

• Day 12. Isaiah 40: Words of Comfort from God

• Day 13. Daniel 6: Daniel and the Lions

• Day 14. Amos 4: A Prophet’s Stern Warning

Course 2: A Guided Tour of the Bible

Course 2 offers a kind of bird’s-eye view. The daily readings consist of 180 selected passages, including at least one chapter from each of the Bible’s 66 books. You can read both the chapter and its accompanying notes in 15 minutes per day.

With a few exceptions, the Biblical material appears in chronological order. You will read the psalms attributed to David as you read about David’s life. You will read the prophets along with their background history. Portions from the Gospels, too, are interspersed, giving a composite picture of Jesus’ life on earth; Paul’s letters are scattered throughout the record of Jesus’ life. This arrangement should help convey the Bible’s plot.

Since A Guided Tour of the Bible is arranged in 180 separate readings, most people will find it convenient to read one designated passage each day, along with the notes. If you miss a few days, don’t worry. Just resume reading when you can.

Time Commitment: 180 Days

Goal: To understand the underlying story of the Bible

The Plot Unveiled

• Day 1. Genesis 1: A Book of Beginnings

• Day 2. Genesis 2: One Shining Moment

• Day 3. Genesis 3: The Crash

• Day 4. Genesis 4: Crouching at the Door

• Day 5. Genesis 7: Under Water

• Day 6. Genesis 8: The Rainbow

• Day 7. Genesis 15: The Plan

• Day 8. Genesis 19: A Catastrophe Sent from God

• Day 9. Genesis 22: Final Exam

• Day 10. Genesis 27: Jacob Gets the Blessing

• Day 11. Genesis 28: Something Undeserved

• Day 12. Genesis 37: Family Battles

• Day 13. Genesis 41: Behind the Scenes

• Day 14. Genesis 45: A Long Forgiveness

Birthing a Nation

• Day 15. Exodus 3: Time for Action

• Day 16. Exodus 10–11: The Ten Plagues

• Day 17. Exodus 14: Miracle at the Red Sea

• Day 18. Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments

• Day 19. Exodus 32: The Dream Dies

• Day 20. Leviticus 26: Legal Matters

• Day 21. Numbers 11: Trials in the Desert

• Day 22. Numbers 14: Open Mutiny

• Day 23. Deuteronomy 4: Never Forget

• Day 24. Deuteronomy 8: Dangers of Success

• Day 25. Deuteronomy 28: Loud and Clear

• Day 26. Joshua 2: New Spies, New Spirit

• Day 27. Joshua 6: Strange Tactics

• Day 28. Joshua 7: Slow Learners

• Day 29. Joshua 24: Home at Last

• Day 30. Judges 6: Unlikely Leader

• Day 31. Judges 7: Military Upset

• Day 32. Judges 16: Superman’s Flaws

• Day 33. Ruth 1: Tough Love

The Golden Age

• Day 34. 1 Samuel 3: Transition Team

• Day 35. 1 Samuel 16: Tale of Two Kings

• Day 36. Psalm 23: A Shepherd’s Song

• Day 37. 1 Samuel 17: Giant-Killer

• Day 38. Psalm 19: Outdoor Lessons

• Day 39. 1 Samuel 20: Jonathan’s Loyalty

• Day 40. Psalm 27: Ups and Downs

• Day 41. 2 Samuel 6: King of Passion

• Day 42. 1 Chronicles 17: God’s House

• Day 43. Psalm 103: The Goodness of God

• Day 44. 2 Samuel 11: Adultery and Murder

• Day 45. 2 Samuel 12: Caught in the Act

• Day 46. Psalm 51: True Confession

• Day 47. Psalm 139: David’s Spiritual Secret

• Day 48. 1 Kings 3: Raw Talent

• Day 49. 1 Kings 8: High-Water Mark

• Day 50. Psalm 84: Home Sweet Home

• Day 51. Proverbs 4: Life Advice

• Day 52. Proverbs 10: One-Liners

• Day 53. Proverbs 22: Sayings of the Wise

• Day 54. Song of Songs 2: Love Story

• Day 55. Ecclesiastes 3: A Time for Everything

The Northern Kingdom

• Day 56. 1 Kings 17: The Prophets

• Day 57. 1 Kings 18: Mountaintop Showdown

• Day 58. 2 Kings 5: Double Portion

• Day 59. Joel 2: Word Power

• Day 60. Jonah 3–4: Beloved Enemies

• Day 61. Amos 4: Street-Corner Prophet

• Day 62. Hosea 1, 3: Parable of Love

• Day 63. Hosea 11: Wounded Lover

• Day 64. 2 Kings 17: Postmortem

The Southern Kingdom

• Day 65. 2 Chronicles 20: Meanwhile in Jerusalem

• Day 66. Micah 6: Pollution Spreads

• Day 67. 2 Chronicles 30: Hezekiah’s Festival

• Day 68. Isaiah 6: Power behind the Throne

• Day 69. Isaiah 25: Eloquent Hope

• Day 70. 2 Chronicles 32: Battlefield Lessons

• Day 71. Nahum 1: Enemy Justice

• Day 72. Zephaniah 3: Rotten Ruling Class

• Day 73. 2 Kings 22: Boy Wonder

• Day 74. Jeremiah 2: National Adultery

• Day 75. Jeremiah 15: Balky Prophet

• Day 76. Jeremiah 31: Israel’s Future

• Day 77. Jeremiah 38: A Prophet’s Perils

• Day 78. Habakkuk 1: Debating God

• Day 79. Lamentations 3: Poet in Shock

• Day 80. Obadiah: No Room to Gloat

Starting Over

• Day 81. Ezekiel 1: In Exile

• Day 82. Ezekiel 2–3: Toughening Up

• Day 83. Ezekiel 4: Write Large and Shout

• Day 84. Ezekiel 37: Resurrection Time

• Day 85. Daniel 1: Enemy Employers

• Day 86. Daniel 3: Ordeal by Fire

• Day 87. Daniel 5: Like Father, Like Son

• Day 88. Daniel 6: Daniel’s Longest Night

• Day 89. Ezra 3: Home at Last

• Day 90. Haggai 1: A Needed Boost

• Day 91. Zechariah 8: Raising Sights

• Day 92. Nehemiah 2: A Man for All Seasons

• Day 93. Nehemiah 8: Mourning into Joy

• Day 94. Esther 4: A Race’s Survival

• Day 95. Malachi 2: Low-Grade Disappointment

Cries of Pain

• Day 96. Job 1–2: Is God Unfair?

• Day 97. Job 38: God Speaks to Job

• Day 98. Job 42: Happy Ending

• Day 99. Isaiah 40: Who’s in Charge?

• Day 100. Isaiah 52: The Suffering Servant

• Day 101. Isaiah 53: Wounded Healer

• Day 102. Isaiah 55: The End of It All

A Surprising Messiah

• Day 103. Luke 1: One Final Hope

• Day 104. Luke 2: No Fear

• Day 105. Mark 1: Immediate Impact

• Day 106. Mark 2: Signal Fires of Opposition

• Day 107. John 3: Late-Night Rendezvous

• Day 108. Mark 3: Miracles and Magic

• Day 109. Mark 4: Hard Soil

• Day 110. Mark 5: Jesus and Illness

• Day 111. Matthew 5: Inflammatory Word

• Day 112. Matthew 6: Sermon on the Mount

• Day 113. Matthew 13: Kingdom Tales

• Day 114. Mark 6: Contrast in Power

• Day 115. Luke 16: Of Two Worlds

• Day 116. Luke 12: Jesus on Money

• Day 117. Luke 18: Underdogs

Responses to Jesus

• Day 118. Luke 15: Master Storyteller

• Day 119. John 6: Food that Endures

• Day 120. Mark 7: Poles Apart

• Day 121. Matthew 18: Out of Bondage

• Day 122. John 10: No Secrets

• Day 123. Mark 8: Turning Point

• Day 124. Mark 9: Slow Learners

• Day 125. Luke 10: Mission Improbable

• Day 126. Mark 10: Servant Leadership

• Day 127. Mark 11: Opposition Heats Up

• Day 128. Mark 12: Baiting Jesus

• Day 129. Mark 13: A Day to Dread

• Day 130. Mark 14: A Scent of Doom

Final Days

• Day 131. John 14: One Final Meal Together

• Day 132. John 15: Vital Link

• Day 133. John 16: Grief into Joy

• Day 134. John 17: Commissioning

• Day 135. Matthew 26: Appointment with Destiny

• Day 136. Matthew 27: No Justice

• Day 137. Mark 15: Removing the Barrier

• Day 138. Matthew 28: A Rumor of Life

• Day 139. John 20: The Rumor Spreads

• Day 140. Luke 24: The Final Link

The Word Spreads

• Day 141. Acts 1: Departure

• Day 142. Acts 2: Explosion

• Day 143. Acts 5: Shock Waves

• Day 144. Acts 9: About-Face

• Day 145. Galatians 3: Legalism

• Day 146. Acts 16: Detour

• Day 147. Philippians 2: Downward Mobility

• Day 148. Acts 17: Mixed Results

• Day 149. 1 Thessalonians 3–4: Preparing for the End

• Day 150. 2 Thessalonians 2: Rumor Control

• Day 151. 1 Corinthians 13: The Love Chapter

• Day 152. 1 Corinthians 15: The Last Enemy

• Day 153. 2 Corinthians 4: Baked Dirt

• Day 154. 2 Corinthians 12: Boasting of Weakness

Paul’s Legacy

• Day 155. Romans 3: Remedy

• Day 156. Romans 7: Limits of the Law

• Day 157. Romans 8: Spirit Life

• Day 158. Romans 12: When Christians Disagree

• Day 159. Acts 26: Unexpected Passage

• Day 160. Acts 27: Perfect Storm

• Day 161. Acts 28: Rome at Last

• Day 162. Ephesians 2: Prison Letter

• Day 163. Ephesians 3: Success Story

• Day 164. Colossians 1: Spanning the Gap

• Day 165. Philemon: A Personal Favor

• Day 166. Titus 2: Paul’s Troubleshooter

• Day 167. 1 Timothy 1: Growth Pains

• Day 168. 2 Timothy 2: Final Words

Vital Letters

• Day 169. Hebrews 2: The Great Descent

• Day 170. Hebrews 11: What Is True Faith?

• Day 171. Hebrews 12: Marathon Race

• Day 172. James 1: Walk the Talk

• Day 173. 1 Peter 1: Converted Coward

• Day 174. 2 Peter 1: Hidden Dangers

• Day 175. Jude: Sounding the Alarm

• Day 176. 1 John 3: Merest Christianity

• Day 177. 2 and 3 John: Pesky Deceivers

• Day 178. Revelation 1: The Final Word

• Day 179. Revelation 12: Another Side of History

• Day 180. Revelation 21: An End and a Beginning

Course 3: Every Word in the Bible

Course 3 takes you completely through the Bible, reading every word. Other Bible-reading plans allot only a year for this project, requiring that at least three chapters be read each day. But many readers find such a pace to be unrealistic and discouraging. For this reason, Course 3 assigns only one chapter a day. (Some short chapters have been combined, so occasionally you will read two brief chapters in a day.) In all, the reading plan works out evenly to a three-year total.

The Course 3 plan alternates between the Old Testament and New Testament. This mixing provides variety.

Time Commitment: Three Years

Goal: To read all the way through the Bible with understanding

GENESIS

• 1

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MATTHEW 1–9

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• 9

EXODUS

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MATTHEW 10–20

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• 15

• 16

• 17

• 18

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• 20

LEVITICUS 1–14

• 1

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• 3

• 4

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• 14

MATTHEW 21–28

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• 23

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• 28

LEVITICUS 15–27

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MARK 1–8

• 1

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NUMBERS

• 1–2

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MARK 9–16

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• 16

DEUTERONOMY 1–17

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LUKE 1–8

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• 4

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• 7

• 8

DEUTERONOMY 18–34

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LUKE 9–16

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• 16

JOSHUA

• 1

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LUKE 17–24

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• 23