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. 16h ago

    214: Jeremiah 24-25; Psalm 150; 1 Corinthians 6:17-7:40

    JEREMIAH 24-25: A stunning prophecy was given in yesterday's reading: Jer. 23:5 GNT The Lord says, "The time is coming when I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land. 6 When he is king, the people of Judah will be safe, and the people of Israel will live in peace. He will be called 'The Lord Our [GNT Salvation/NLT Righteousness].' How amazing it is that this identity of 'The Lord Our Salvation/Righteousness' is specifically linked with the Righteous Descendant— whom we now know is Jesus! Yesterday's reading also contained the interesting command about not calling the Lord's message a 'burden'. Some Christian leaders today would do well to note God's angry statements about the prophets who pan off prophecies that just come from their own imaginations as coming from the Lord. I would not like to be in their shoes at the judgment day! PSALM 150: The exuberant finale to the psalms! 1CORINTHIANS 6:17—7: Yesterday's reading in 1 Corinthians started out with Paul rebuking the Corinthian Christians for taking their fellow believers to court before secular judges. Paul returned briefly the theme of sexual sin. Then, in supporting his points, Paul gave some of the most amazing verses in all Scripture about our position in unity with Christ. Let's review the last four verses of chapter 6 to make the connection with chapter 7. GNT Translation notes: 1Cor. 7:1 Now, to deal with the matters you wrote about. [Like someone there has said, "] A man does well not to marry. ["] 5 Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation[s] because of your lack of self-control. 16 How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save your husband[ if you remain living together]? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife[ if you continue to live together]? 35 I am [saying these thing//giving this advice//saying this] because I want to help you. I am not trying to put restrictions on you. Instead, I want you to do what is right and proper, and to give yourselves completely to the Lord's service without any reservation.

  2. 17h ago

    213: Jeremiah 23; Psalm 149; 1 Corinthians 6

    JEREMIAH 23: In yesterday's reading, we heard how king Zedekiah sent two men to Jeremiah to ask him for help to pray for a miracle. And God made it ever so clear that no miracle of deliverance would be given. Jeremiah repeatedly tells the king what he needs to do, but Zedekiah just couldn't bring himself to do it. The area of giving justice was especially prominent in yesterday's readings. PSALM 149: We old saints should not despise all of the new songs of the young saints. Yet I totally understand the desire to avoid change.  Here we see that Scripture commands that we sing new songs. And this whole psalm can be taken as a prelude to what we will see in the book of Revelation. 1CORINTHIANS 6: A few days ago I challenged you to find out what was special about the quote in John 19 about none of Jesus' bones being broken. In yesterday's reading in 1Corinthians 5, we heard several metaphors relating to that based on Jesus being our Passover Lamb. And now as we start chapter 6, we have a chapter break at the right place, as Paul starts a new topic. GNT Translation notes: Jer. 23:18 [Jeremiah speaks//I said], "None of these prophets has ever known the Lord's secret thoughts. None of them has ever heard or understood his message, or ever listened or paid attention to what he said. ==== 1Cor. 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge the angels? How much more, then, [should we be able to judge] the things of this life! 9 Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God's Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or [both kinds of male homosexuals//homosexual perverts]

  3. 18h ago

    212: Jeremiah 21-22; Psalm 148; 1 Corinthians 4:14-5:13

    JEREMIAH 21-22: These verses from Jeremiah 20 have been often quoted as a reason for memorizing Scripture: Jer. 20:9 NLT But if I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it! Remember the priest Pashur who put Jeremiah in stocks. The Passhur that time was the son of Immer. Today it is evidently a different Passhur who visits Jeremiah, the son of Malchiah. PSALM 148: The ending psalms just keep getting more and more exuberant in praise! 1CORINTHIANS 4:14—5: Paul is about to drop a bombshell in chapter 5, and it is good to see the transition from chapter 4. GNT Translation notes: Ps. 148:5 Let them all praise [Him//the name of the Lord]! He commanded, and they were created; 11  Let them all praise [Him//the name of the Lord]! His name is greater than all others; his glory is above earth and heaven. ==== 1Cor. 4:17 For this purpose I am sending to you Timothy, who is my own dear and faithful son in the Christian life. He will remind you of the [way of living//principles] which I follow [, and which is appropriate for all of us who are joined in union with Christ Jesus.//in the new life in union with Christ Jesus] [0//which] I teach [these principles] in all the churches everywhere.

  4. 19h ago

    211: Jeremiah 19-20; Psalm 147; 1 Corinthians 3:10-4:21

    JEREMIAH 19-20: In yesterday's reading, we again heard some often-quoted verses. These verses come just after verses in chapter 17 where the Lord himself beautifully paraphrased Psalm 1: Jer. 17:9 GNT "Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed. 10 I, the Lord, search the minds and test the hearts of people. I treat each of them according to the way they live, according to what they do." Then in chapter 18, we also heard the famous passage about the Lord being like a potter, which Paul refers to in Romans 9. PSALM 147: Again this is quite a contrast with Jeremiah's feelings which we just read! This is our second Hallelujah psalm. And hallelujah has been translated according to its meaning here as "Praise the LORD." This psalm has incredible depth. 1CORINTHIANS 3:10—4:21 Paul is still 'going on about' the same thing. He is going to return to the subject of himself and Apollos in chapter 4— which summarizes the division in the Corinthian church. To give the connection, let's start reading at chapter 3 verse 10. GNT Translation notes: 1Cor. 3:16 Surely you know that you are [included as a part of] God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and [we— all of God's people//you yourselves] are his temple. [Translations in English often fail to make clear that 'you' in Greek is plural here. The Corinthians as a group are being built into the temple of God— as Paul says in Ephesians 2. It seems a bit more natural or complete in English for Paul to include himself in the body of Christ, so it is possible to use 'we' and a modifying phrase, as I have suggested above. There is another verse we will soon read where Paul says that we each individually are a sanctuary/temple of the Holy Spirit.] 21 No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do.  [(Implicit info:) Because of being joined as one with Christ,] Actually everything belongs to you: 22  [So that includes] Paul [and] Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours, 4:1 You should think of us [apostles//0] as Christ's servants, who have been put in charge of God's secret truths. 17 For this purpose I am sending to you Timothy, who is my own dear and faithful son in the Christian life. He will remind you of the [way of living//principles] which I follow [, and which is appropriate for all of us who are joined in union with Christ Jesus.//in the new life in union with Christ Jesus] [0//which] I teach [these principles] in all the churches everywhere.

  5. 20h ago

    210: Jeremiah 17-18; Psalm 146; 1 Corinthians 3

    JEREMIAH 17-18: One catches so clearly how trapped Jeremiah was in the time of God's judgment, and how hot God's anger was against Judah. Jeremiah's audience would not have appreciated him telling them where the Lord said they could 'go'! No wonder he so often weeps and cries out in despair. God's verdict in 15:2, which shows his sovereign choices, is repeated in Revelation: Jer. 15:1 GNT Then the Lord said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were standing here pleading with me, I would not show these people any mercy. Make them go away; make them get out of my sight. 2 When they ask you where they should go, tell them that I have said: Some are doomed to die by disease— that's where they will go! Others are doomed to die in war— that's where they will go! Some are doomed to die of starvation— that's where they will go! Others are doomed to be taken away as prisoners— that's where they will go! PSALM 146: This is the first of five Hallelujah Psalms. In the GNT, 'hallelujah' is translated, "Praise the Lord." 1CORINTHIANS 3: The topic of this chapter is still related to that verse from Jeremiah that Paul quoted about boasting, but only boasting about knowing the Lord. And this chapter builds on what Paul has just said about wisdom, as he moves into discussing how to think about different Christian leaders. GNT Translation note: Jer. 17:6 [They are like bushes//He is like a bush] in the desert, which [grow//grows] in the dry wasteland, on salty ground where nothing else grows. Nothing good ever happens to [them//him]. ==== 1Cor. 3:1 As a matter of fact, my friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian _faith_. [I just want to point out that here I don't feel the need to translate 'faith' as 'way of believing'. Since there is a modifying word, 'faith' is no longer fuzzy. The literal is "infants in Christ."] 16 Surely you know that you are [included as a part of] God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and [we— all of God's people//you yourselves] are his temple. [Translations in English often fail to make clear that 'you' in Greek is plural here. The Corinthians as a group are being built into the temple of God— as Paul says in Ephesians 2. It seems a bit more natural or complete in English for Paul to include himself in the body of Christ, so it is possible to use 'we' and a modifying phrase, as I have suggested above. There is another verse we will soon read in 2Corinthians where Paul says that we each individually are a sanctuary/temple of the Holy Spirit.] 21 No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do.  [(Implicit info:) Because of being joined as one with Christ,] Actually everything belongs to you: 22  [So that includes] Paul [and] Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours,

  6. 21h ago

    209: Jeremiah 15-16; Psalm 145; 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16

    JEREMIAH 15-16: Yesterday the dialog between the Lord and Jeremiah continued. We heard of the drought. And the Lord forbid Jeremiah to pray for the people of Judah. PSALM 145: This is an acrostic psalm in Hebrew, and it gives us a great place to start when praising God. 1CORINTHIANS 1:18—2: Let's not allow the chapter division here to interrupt what Paul teaches us about God's wisdom! So let's start reading in chapter 1 verse 18. GNT Translation note: Jer. 15:10 What an unhappy man I am! Why did my mother [ever] bring me into the world? I have to quarrel and argue with everyone in the land. I have not lent any money or borrowed any; yet everyone curses me. ==== Ps. 145:21 I will always praise the Lord; let all [your//his] creatures praise [You//his holy name (metonymy)] forever. [Again in this psalm in the podcast I will rephrase some verses so that all of this psalm becomes a prayer to God. Third person to first person changes occur in verses 3, 13-14, and 17-21.] ==== 1Cor. 1:19 [God says in scripture//The scripture says], "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars." 2:5 Your [believing//faith], then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power.

  7. 22h ago

    208: Jeremiah 13-14; Psalm 144; 1 Corinthians 1

    JEREMIAH 13-14: In yesterday's reading, Jeremiah complained to the Lord, 12:1 GNT "Lord, if I argued my case with you, you would [be shown//prove] to be right. Yet I must question you about matters of justice. Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why do dishonest people succeed? And the Lord replied in an answer that bears reading in context and needs some thinking about, 5 "Jeremiah, if you get tired racing against people, how can you race against horses? If you can't even stand up in open country, how will you manage in the jungle by the Jordan? PSALM 144: This poem is quite a contrast with what we have just heard in Jeremiah. This is the joyful prayer of a king who is leading his people according to the will of God. 1Corinthians 1: In Paul's day, Corinth was a metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea with a population of between one hundred and fifty thousand and three hundred thousand Roman citizens and about 460,000 slaves. There was evidently a healthy criminal population, and the city was a center of banking, so there were incredibly wealthy people there. The city was full of idol shrines of deities from Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and there was cult prostitution. Some commentators claim that 1 Corinthians contains parts of two letters from Paul so that 2nd Corinthians might actually be a third or fourth letter. I don't buy that. Key topics of the letter include the divisions in the church, the obstacles to sharing the Gospel, God's wisdom as it appears to Greeks and Jews, partnership among apostles of Christ, vice in the church, various instructions about marriage, the Lord's supper, food sacrificed to idols, Paul not cashing in on his rights as an apostle, spiritual gifts and the spiritual fruit of love, and the resurrection of Christ. GNT Translation note: Ps. 144:15 [O Lord our God,//0] Happy is the nation of whom this is true; happy are the people [who worship You!//whose God is the Lord!] [As in other Psalms, I read verses 1-2 and 15 as a prayer made directly to God, rather than using the third person in talking to the Lord.]

  8. Jul 19

    207: Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 143; John 21

    JEREMIAH 11-12: Yesterday we heard important verses in chapter 9:23-24, verses that Paul quotes more than once: 9:23 NLT "Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. 24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD … PSALM 143: It seems that prayer is very neglected these days. Oh yes, we might hear something vague about praying for victims right after some tragedy strikes. But it seems that every church has trouble keeping a prayer meeting going. I myself have trouble keeping my prayer life going. David shows in this psalm that he has learned secrets of effective prayer. Note how his prayer is very like how Jeremiah felt in the two chapters we just read. JOHN 21: This is one of my favorite chapters. John again tells us important information not given in the other gospels. Note that there is a famous exegetical fallacy here. John does use two different words for 'love' in the dialog between Jesus and Peter. But this should NOT be taken— as has been so frequently taught, as showing a play on words, or that John was intending different shades of meaning. Instead, the use of synonyms is just a feature of John's style in writing. John does this for poetic variation, like the parallelism in Hebrew poetry. Another example of this in this same passage is the variation of 'little lambs' and 'sheep'. GNT Translation notes: Jer. 12:1 "Lord, if I argued my case with you, you would [be shown//prove to] be right. Yet I must question you about matters of justice. Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why do dishonest people succeed? ==== Ps. 143:9 I [come//go] to you for protection, Lord; rescue me from my enemies.

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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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