Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

Phil Fields
  • 4.5 (11)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Daily

Join us in reading through the whole Good News Bible (GNT) in 365 24-minute-long podcasts!

  1. 6d ago

    249: 1 Chronicles 23-24; Proverbs 21:1-16; Titus 3

    1CHRONICLES 23-24: Yesterday we heard a rather odd story about how "Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census." But in 2Samuel 24:1 we read that "Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, 'Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.'" So who was it— Satan or the Lord? And if the problem was caused by someone else, why was David and all Israel punished?!    I think, in a place like this, we have to go back to what we learned in Job. God brought up a topic to Satan, Satan responds predictably, and God gives him permission to tempt and sets the boundaries. In other words, both God and Satan are involved. God does not tempt people to do evil, and God is in ultimate control. Satan is like a dog on a leash. And about that punishment: God arranges events in such a way that man (in this case David) is still in control and responsible for his choices. Why was the census considered a sin? This seems to be founded on the idea that Israel— according to God's promise, was to be as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea shore, in other words, uncountable. When Moses conducted a census, there was a money offering given for every male counted. Making a military census would also show that David was trusting in numbers instead of God's power. (See 1Chron 27:23-24.) PROVERBS 21a: Here is the verse I chose to highlight today: Pro. 21:13 GNT If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard. TITUS 3: We continue today with more true teaching for our spiritual health. We might consider 2:14 as a heading for all of today's reading. That verse says, Tit. 2:14 GNT He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good. GNT Translation note: Tit. 3:15 All who are with me send you greetings. Give our greetings to our friends [who share our belief in true teachings//in the faith]. God's grace be with you all.

  2. 6d ago

    248: 1 Chronicles 21-22; Proverbs 20:16-30; Titus 2

    1CHRONICLES 21-22: Yesterday we heard the part where the writer of Chronicles skated over where David had his affair with Bathsheba. But we heard of the military victories and especially the misunderstanding that became the reason for the war with the Ammonites. PROVERBS 20b: Our highlighted verse for today: Pro. 20:24 GNT The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking? Another proverb with deep significance is: 27 The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves. TITUS 2: A theme of this book is literally 'healthy faith' and 'healthy teaching.' These figures boil down to believing in true teachings. GNT Translation notes: Tit. 2:1 But you must teach what agrees with [true teaching//sound doctrine]. 2 [NLT Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must [fully believe our true teachings//have sound faith] and be filled with love and patience.//GNT Instruct the older men to be sober, sensible, and self-controlled; to be sound in their faith, love, and endurance.] 13 as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when [our Savior Christ Jesus returns. At that time his glory as all-powerful God will be seen in the this world.//great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear.] [The translation for 13 above is like the PET. Greek is somewhat ambiguous as to whether only One Person is 'appearing'— namely Jesus, or if both the Father and Son will appear. Most commentators say that the most natural meaning is that Jesus is the One appearing, and that means that Paul is also directly designating Jesus as all-powerful/great God. Identifying Jesus directly as God happens many other times— including John 1:1; John 10:30; Rom. 9:5; Plp. 2:6; 2Ptr. 1:1; 1Jhn. 5:20.]

  3. Aug 30

    247: 1 Chronicles 19-20; Proverbs 20:1-15; Titus 1

    1CHRONICLES 19-20: Yesterday we heard about one of David's greatest hours, and I think David would rank this as better than the killing of Goliath. It was the time when he wanted to build a house for God, and instead God promised to build his house— making for him an everlasting dynasty. Then we heard of his leading in even more amazing military victories. PROVERBS 20a: Today's highlighted verse: Pro. 20:3 GNT Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them. TITUS 1: Commentators say that Paul wrote his letter to Titus in about the year 66, and that evidence from chapter 3:12 reveals that Paul may have written this in Nicopolis in Epirus, where he spent the winter. The letter has much  in common with 1 Timothy which was written around the same time. Paul had given Titus a difficult pastoral assignment, and this letter includes advice that has been so helpful to many pastors. And personally and to my own shame, I always remember this epistle as the location of my worst argument with one of my translation consultants. Recently in Proverbs 18 we read a proverb that applies to that situation, it is this: Pro. 18:19 NLT An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. GNT Translation notes: 1 [To Titus, my true son because of our unity in believing in Christ: From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Christ Jesus. I was sent in order to help God's chosen people to ever more fully believe in Christ and to know true teaching— the true teaching that leads us to live according to God's will.//From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I was chosen and sent to help the faith of God's chosen people and to lead them to the truth taught by our religion, … 4 I write to Titus, my true son in the faith that we have in common. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.] 9 He must hold firmly to the message which can be trusted and which agrees with [true teaching//the doctrine]. In this way he will be able to encourage others with [0//the] true teaching and also to show the error of those who are opposed to it. 12-13 It was a Cretan himself, one of their own prophets, who spoke the truth when he said, "Cretans are always liars, wicked beasts, and lazy gluttons." For this reason you must rebuke them sharply, so that they may [believe in true teachings//have a healthy faith]

  4. Aug 30

    246: 1 Chronicles 17-18; Proverbs 19:14-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28

    1CHRONICLES 17-18: Yesterday we heard of the careful moving of the Ark, this time successfully. We heard exactly which men played what instruments.  Then there was a sample of their praise. The psalm in chapter 18 is made of quotes from Psalms 105 and 96 and some other isolated verses. PROVERBS 19b: Our highlighted verse: Pro. 19:17 GNT When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back. 1THESSALONIANS 5: Before reading chapter 5, let's review the resurrection portion of chapter 4, starting with verse 13. GNT Translation notes: 1Th. 4:14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will [bring//take] back with Jesus [all] those who have died believing in him. 5:8 But we belong to the day, and we should be sober. We must wear [our belief in Christ//faith] and love as a breastplate, and our hope of salvation as a helmet. 5:12 We beg you, our friends, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who [lead you and warn you against doing wrong//guide and instruct you in the Christian life].

  5. Aug 30

    245: 1 Chronicles 15-16; Proverbs 19:1-15; 1 Thessalonians 4

    1CHRONICLES 15-16: Yesterday we heard about the first attempt to move the Ark, more about David's family, and his defeat of the Philistines. PROVERBS 19a: A highlight from today's chapter in Proverbs: Pro. 19:14 GNT A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife. 1THESSALONIANS 4: Paul and his companions prayed, and God answered: The Thessalonian believers stayed strong in their believing in the Gospel. GNT Translation notes: 1Chr. 16:29 Praise the [Lord for his glorious reputation//Lord's glorious name]; bring an offering and come into his Temple. Bow down before the Holy One when he appears; 43 [NLT Then all the people returned to their homes, and David turned and went home to bless his own family.//GNT Then everyone went home, and David went home to spend some time with his family.] ==== 1Th. 4:14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will [bring//take] back with Jesus [all] those who have died believing in him.

  6. Aug 30

    244: 1 Chronicles 13-14; Proverbs 18:13-24; 1 Thessalonians 3

    1CHRONICLES 13-14: Yesterday we heard of mighty men who joined David in war, and the roll call of people who joined him politically to become king. And today we hear more about important events under David's leadership. PROVERBS 18b: A highlighted verse for today: Pro. 18:22 GNT Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you. 1THESSALONIANS 3: Yesterday Paul reminded the Thessalonians of the way he, Silas, and Timothy lived among them, and they definitely loved them like family. And at the end of the chapter Paul compares them to a crown (or like the crowning achievement in their ministry) which he longs to bring before Christ at His second coming. Paul's statement that "God's anger has come down on" the Jews, shows that events were moving toward the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. GNT Translation note: 1Th. 3:2 while we sent Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in preaching the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen you and [encourage you in your fully believing in Christ//help your faith], 5 That is why I had to send Timothy. I could not bear it any longer, so I sent him to find out [whether you were still fully believing in Christ//about your faith]. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing! 6  Now Timothy has come back, and he has brought us the welcome news [that you still fully believe in Christ and show love to one another//about your faith and love]. He has told us that you always remember us fondly and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you. 7 So, in all our trouble and suffering we have been encouraged about you, friends. It was your [fully believing//faith] that encouraged us, 10 Day and night we ask him with all our heart to let us see you personally and supply what is needed [in order to strengthen your belief//in your faith]. NLT Translation note: 1Th. 3:10 Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your [believing/faith].

  7. Aug 30

    243: 1 Chronicles 11-12; Proverbs 18:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 2

    1CHRONICLES 11-12: In yesterday's reading, we heard of the people who returned after the exile. Then, starting with the genealogy of King Saul, we jumped to the story of how he died. This prepares us for the stories about King David. PROVERBS 18a: Our highlighted verse today: Pro. 18:10 [GNT The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.//The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.] [The GNT translates the Jewish metonymy of 'the Lord's name' correctly. This way of translating will prevent readers who don't understand how metonymy works in Scripture from supposing that Christians should use the name of the LORD ('YHWH') as a magic charm.] 1THESSALONIANS 2: Chapter 1 ended with Paul saying what other people were saying about the Thessalonians: 1Th. 1:10 NLT And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

  8. Aug 23

    242: 1 Chronicles 9-10; Proverbs 17:14-28; 1 Thessalonians 1

    1CHRONICLES 9-10: Today we begin with chapter 9 of 1st Chronicles, which is the last name chapter in the first part of this book. This brings us up to the time of the returning exiles. At the end of chapter 9, king Saul's genealogy is given, which introduces the story about Saul related in chapter 10. PROVERBS 17b: For me and my family, this verse from Proverbs 17 brings back golden memories of an old chorus we used to sing every Sunday evening with fellow missionaries in Indonesia. Pro. 17:22 NLT A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength. 1st THESSALONIANS 1: Today we begin Paul's first letter to the Thessalonian church. The book of Revelation has the reputation of being about the second coming of Christ, but our doctrines about the second coming come much more from the two letters to Thessalonica. Every chapter in 1st Thessalonians includes a reference to the second coming. And the second coming is mentioned 20 times in these two little letters. Paul, Timothy and Silas spent only three Sabbath days in Thessalonica, and Timothy returned to teach the believers. It's natural that they would have questions. Some were worried about believers who had died or would die before Christ's return. Others were thinking Jesus would return so soon that they need not do any work now. This is a highly personal letter to people who had become dear to Paul in a very short time, and one of his earliest letters, written around 51 AD.

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Join us in reading through the whole Good News Bible (GNT) in 365 24-minute-long podcasts!

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