GENESIS 41: In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God's business.

JOB 25: Yesterday Job said,

Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of justice for those who serve him? (Job 24:1)

And speaking of the helpless and downtrodden he said,

"In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers. (v12)

Starting in v18 GNT follows a number of other translations in saying that Zophar chimed in, disagreeing that the wicked are indeed punished, contradicting what Job was saying. NLT doesn't do that. When you find a place like that and want more information, it is always a good idea to see if the NET (New English Translation) has a footnote. If you are using the YouVersion Bible reader, and do not see the footnote marks in NET and GNT, click the Menu button, then click Settings, and activate Show Notes.

In chapter 25, Bildad only has time to speak a few lines when Job interrupts him.

MARK 15b: In the first half of this chapter, Jesus was tried by Pilate, and condemned when Pilate caved in to pressure orchestrated by the religious leaders. The soldiers beat and mocked Jesus, he was nailed to the cross, and then everyone mocked him.

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.

GENESIS 40: In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top.

JOB 24: Job continues his response to Eliphaz.

MARK 15a: At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus.

NLT Translation notes: 2 Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.}" [Jesus says "You say" in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because "You have said it" might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like "Those are your words," it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.] 3 [The//Then the] leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe [in/0] him!" Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

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.

GENESIS 38-39: In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt.

JOB 23: Yesterday Eliphaz said:

GNT 4 It is not because you stand in awe of God that he reprimands you and brings you to trial. 5 No, it's because you have sinned so much; it's because of all the evil you do.

And he also said,

21 Now, Job, make peace with God and stop treating him like an enemy; if you do, then he will bless you. 22 Accept the teaching he gives; keep his words in your heart. 23 Yes, you must humbly return to God and put an end to all the evil that is done in your house. 24 Throw away your gold; dump your finest gold in the dry stream bed. 25 Let Almighty God be your gold, and let him be silver, piled high for you. 28 You will succeed in all you do, and light will shine on your path.

Beware that some teachers of prosperity in our age say things just like that, and quote such verses without understanding the message of this book.

MARK 14b: Yesterday we heard the story of the Last Supper, the prophecy that Peter would deny Jesus three times, and the prayers at Gethsemane.

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.

GENESIS 37: The focus of Genesis 36 was on the descendants of Esau, and the ethnic groups they spawned.

JOB 22: In chapter 21, Job gave a very convincing argument that God does not always punish wicked people— refuting what Zophar said. Today Eliphaz begins the third set of exchanges between Job and his 'friends'. Eliphaz' promises at the end of his speech sound rather hollow to me.

MARK 14a: Yesterday we read the prophecy chapter of Mark, chapter 13. The theme of that chapter is "Be ready" and Jesus says, "Keep watching for Me."

NLT Translation notes: Gen. 36: 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father's flocks. He worked [with/for] his half brothers, the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing. 6 "Listen to [my/this] dream," he said. 7 "We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!" ==== Job 22:28 [Then you/You] will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. 29 [Then if/If] people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them. ==== Mrk. 14:21For [I,] the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays [me/him]. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!"

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.

GENESIS 36: Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to Bethel. At the end of yesterday's reading, Rachel and Grampa Isaak died.

JOB 21: In Zophar's angry speech yesterday in chapter 20, he did not directly say that Job was wicked, but he clearly implied it.

MARK 13: Chapter 12— which gives an overview of the interactions with the enemies and critics of Jesus, basically marks the end of Jesus' public ministry as related by Mark.

NLT Translation notes: Mrk. 13:8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But [these things are only like//this is only] the first of the birth pains [of a pregnant woman— meaning, more is to come//with more to come]. 14 "The day is coming when you will see [the one who sets up a//the] sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where hef should not be." ([The one reading out loud to others should explain this!//Reader, pay attention!]) "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 26 Then everyone will see [me coming as the Son of Man coming//the Son of Man coming] on the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And [I/he] will send out [my/his] angels to gather [my/his] chosen ones from all over the world— from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. (Verses 29, 32, 34, and 35 are changed similarly to 26-27.) [As explained before, in many languages of the world (including English) a man never speaks of himself as 'he'. I man will use 'I' or 'me' to talk about himself. Since Jesus is talking with his disciples, he was not concealing his identity here with the term 'Son of Man'.] 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never [loose their force//disappear]. 36 Don't let [me/him] find you sleeping when [I arrive//he arrives] without warning. 37 I say to you what I say and to everyone: [Keep watching for me!//Watch for him!]"

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.

GENESIS 34-35: Yesterday we heard about Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious heavenly figure, and about Jacob's reunion with Esau.

JOB 20: This chapter is Zophar's second response to Job. In chapter 19, Job responded to Bildad's second speech. Job expressed amazing belief that he would see his defender (often translated 'redeemer'). He says,

25 But I know there is someone in heaven who will come at last to my defense. 26 Even after my skin is eaten by disease, while still in this body I will see God. 27 I will see him with my own eyes, and he will not be a stranger.

MARK 12b: Yesterday in the first half of Mark 12, Jesus told a pointed parable against the Jewish religious leaders, then he went on to refute the Sadducees. We re-read several verses today.

NLT Translation notes: Gen. 34:17 But if you don't agree to be circumcised, we will take [Dinah/her] and be on our way." 30 Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have ruined me! You've made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few [, and now//that] they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!" 15 And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means "house of God"), because God had spoken to him [again/0] there. ==== Mrk. 12:26 "But now, as to whether the dead will be raised— haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error." [In my reading in the 019, I modified the translation like this, "I am the God Abraham worships… (present tense)." While this is justified in stating Jesus' meaning at that point in the discourse, it is going too far in translating the Hebrew and Greek of the Old Testament passage. Jesus' point is that the continuing relationship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is implicit in God's statement. So, I admit my mistake, and say that to make that explicit in the translation is going a bit too far.] 37 Since David himself called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah [just/0] be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

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.

GENESIS 32-33: Yesterday we heard how Jacob and his big family got away from Laban and started the journey home. When Laban caught up with him, he and Jacob got into a quarrel and ended up making a covenant.

JOB 19: In chapter 18, Bildad once again gave a speech about what happens to wicked people, and by implication, he said, "You're just getting what you deserve." Job's response in today's chapter includes amazing revelations. Verses 23-27 can be compared with the second half of 1Corinthians 15.

MARK 12a: In Mark 11, Jesus was welcomed in triumph in Jerusalem, he cursed a fig tree and taught about prayer, and cleansed the temple of merchant activity. Then he answered and confuted the chief priests who challenged his authority to "do these things,"— in particular, taking their businesses out of the temple.

NLT Translation notes: Job 19:15 My servants and maids [even/0] consider me a stranger. I am like a foreigner to them. 16 When I call my servant, he doesn't [even/0] come; I have to plead with him! ==== Mrk. 12:1 Then Jesus began teaching them with stories [like this one]: "A man planted a vineyard. … 13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of [king/0] Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 When they handed [one/it] to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped [here//on it]?" 26b Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God [Abraham worships//of Abraham], the God [Isaac worships], and the God [Jacob worships].' 27 PET God spoke of our three forefathers as men who still live and worship Him. … [In Lumina.Bible.org Constable quotes Lane: "If the death of the patriarchs is the last word of their history, there has been a breach of the promises of God guaranteed by the [Abrahamic] covenant, and of which the formula 'the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob' is the symbol. It is in fidelity to his covenant that God will resurrect the dead." Using a present tense verb makes it obvious to the English-speaking listener that the three patriarchs are still living. However, the problem becomes that if the Hebrew had been that specific, everyone would have understood that the patriarchs were still living. So my fix here, I now admit, goes too far.]

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.

GENESIS 31: Yesterday we heard of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and about more sons for Jacob— whose names all have meanings appropriate to what Rachel or Leah were feeling at the time.

JOB 18: Yesterday Job again complained that he was surrounded by mockers, and despairingly again said

15 Where is there any hope for me? Who sees any? 16 Hope will not go with me when I go down to the world of the dead.

MARK 11: Jesus has by now prepared his disciples for his death by prophesying about it, and by teaching them about what it will be like to 'lead' in His kingdom. And he healed Bartimaeus, who called Jesus by his Messianic title: the Son of David.

NLT Translation notes: 22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "[Believe fully//Have faith] in God. 32 But [we don't//do we] dare say it was merely human[, do we/0]?" For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone [in that crowd//0] believed that John was a prophet.

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.

GENESIS 30: In yesterday's reading , Jacob left home, and God appeared to him and promised to bless him as he blessed Isaac. Jacob worked for Laban, married both Leah and Rachel, and he had four sons through Leah.

JOB 17: Yesterday was the first chapter of Job's response to Eliphaz. He complained that his three comforters were not very comforting.

1-2 GNT I have heard words like that before; the comfort you give is only torment. 3 Are you going to keep on talking forever? Do you always have to have the last word?

And he said, 6 But nothing I say helps, and being silent does not calm my pain.

And 9 In anger God tears me limb from limb; he glares at me with hate.

This last statement shows how easy it is for us humans to misunderstand God's will or intentions concerning us. God did not hate Job!

MARK 10b: Yesterday in the first half of chapter 10, Jesus gave God's true perspective on divorce, blessed some children, and said that is impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God (in their own strength). By the way, there is a wrong teaching that is still often heard. People have heard that the 'eye of the needle' was a little door next to the big gate in Jerusalem, and that a camel could get through this gate but all the burden would have to be taken off. This is wrong. No such gate was made in New Testament days in Jerusalem. Such gates were made in castles in Europe in the middle ages. No, the meaning of the saying is just what he said: It is just as impossible for the rich to enter heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a real sewing needle. The next statement of Jesus however shows the way the rich may enter heaven.

Jesus gave a wonderful promise for missionaries at the end of the chapter. I bear witness to every part of that. 2,000 Orya people call me 'Aya Bak'— which means 'older brother'. The Lord has blessed me way more than 100 times.

Constable's notes for v.49: The two descriptions of Jesus in these verses reveal the faith of Bartimaeus. The crowds simply described Jesus as "the Nazarene." Bartimaeus had obviously heard about Jesus and had concluded that He was the Messiah. "Son of David" is a messianic title (cf. 11:9-10; 12:35-37; 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5-6; Ezek. 34:23-24). Even though Bartimaeus lacked physical sight he saw more clearly who Jesus was then the multitudes who could see. His cry for mercy from Jesus expressed the attitude of trust, humility, and dependence that Jesus had been teaching His disciples to maintain.

NLT Translation notes: 33 "Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where [I,/0] the Son of Manh will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence [me/him] to die and hand [me/him] over to the Romans.i 34 They will mock [me], spit on [me], flog [me] with a whip, and kill [me], but after three days [I/he] will rise again." [One very seldom talks of oneself using a third person pronoun in most of the world's languages.] 45 For even [I, as/0] the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give [my/his] life as a ransom for many." 52 And Jesus said to him, "Go, [you are healed now because you fully believed in me//for your faith has healed you]." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

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.

GENESIS 28-29: After what Jacob did to Esau, with Esau holding a big grudge, it is time for Jacob to get out of town.

JOB 16: Eliphaz said that Job was showing no reverence for God, that his own words condemned him. His rhetorical questions all imply that Job is being proud and guilty of sin. Eliphaz maintained that no mortal can be pure.

MARK 10a: In yesterday's reading Jesus predicted his death, spoke about who is greatest in God's kingdom, and talked about the seriousness of sin.

NLT Translation notes: Gen 29:8 "We can't water the animals until all the flocks have arrived," they replied. "Then [we/the] shepherds move the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water all the sheep and goats." 9 Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father's flock, for she was a shepherd[ess].

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.

GENESIS 27: In yesterday's reading we read the history of Isaac and Rebecca's family before the narrative focuses on their dissimilar twin sons— and especially Jacob.

JOB 15: God has revealed so much more to us in our day than what Job could know in his day. One thing was shown yesterday. Job asked,

14:14 If a man dies, can he come back to life? …

MARK 9b: After coming down the mountain with three of his disciples, Jesus met his other disciples who were having two difficulties simultaneously with people arguing with them and with failing to heal a man's son— who was possessed by an evil spirit or a demon.

Repeating a little of what I said in an earlier podcast: In Greek, 'demon' is daimonia, and the other term, 'evil spirit', is more literally 'unclean spirit'. As someone who has worked in another culture and seen what has happened over my lifetime in the USA, I hope it will be helpful to some readers if I share about this topic. Some of you— particularly those of the older generation in the USA, will say, "What people called demons in Jesus' day were just what we call mental illness." While, paradoxically, it is the younger generation in the USA who more readily believe that demons actually exist. I think the younger generation have it right this time. Demons do exist.

Here's what I have observed: Where demons are not believed in, they are happy to stay in the background— where they are very adept at promoting falsehood and sin. Where demons are feared, worshipped, where people listen to satanic music and take part in occult rituals, demons come out more openly— to increase people's fear of them and to manipulate people.

As believers in Jesus, remember that Jesus has complete power over Satan and all demons. We who belong to Jesus should not fear them. Nor should we seek communication with such beings. Remember two things from yesterday's story: The father wisely cried out, "Help my unbelief!" So the first thing to remember is to fully believe in Christ Jesus. The second is the answer Jesus gave to the disciples question: Prayer is of vital importance in this area of spiritual warfare.

NLT Translation notes: Mrk. 9:22 The [demon/spirit] often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can." 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. " heading at 38: [Doing thing for Jesus' cause//Using the Name of Jesus]38 John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn't in our group." 31 for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "[I, the//The] Son of Man, [am/is] going to be betrayed into the hands of [my/his] enemies. [I/He] will be killed, but three days later [I/he] will rise from the dead." 32 [However/0] they didn't understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. 39 "Don't stop him!" Jesus said. "No one who performs a miracle [on my behalf/in my name/using my name] will soon be able to speak evil of me. [One thing I do not like about the NLT is the translation of 'in my name' as 'using my name' in places having to do with prayer like John 16. In v38 here, it works well. For believers in this age, when we pray 'in Jesus' name', the meaning is not simply that we end our prayers with an automatic 'in Jesus name'. The meaning of praying in Jesus' name is that we pray things for the cause of Jesus, on behalf of Jesus, or for Jesus' glory. This is why I end so many prayers on these podcasts with the idea of Jesus' glory!]

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.