GENESIS 13-14:
In yesterday's reading we heard about God scattering people by confusing their languages. It’s important to remember that the city they were building is called Babylon. Then we traced the ancestry of Abram, who descended from Seth's line. Then we read about the call of Abram and what happened when they were staying in Egypt because of a famine. Abram doesn’t sound like a model husband.

JOB 7:
Today we hear the second chapter of Job’s response to Eliphaz. In chapter 6 Job said,

10 GNT If I knew he [God] would [kill me], I would leap for joy,
no matter how great my pain.
I know that God is holy;
I have never opposed what he commands.

And he also complained:
14 In trouble like this I need loyal friends—
whether I've forsaken God or not.
15 But you, my friends, you deceive me like streams
that go dry when no rain comes.

And his three friends are only warming up to what they will say. In desperation Job says,
24 All right, teach me; tell me my faults.
I will be quiet and listen to you.
25 Honest words are convincing,
but you are talking nonsense.

MARK 5a:
We completed the one and only ‘parable chapter’ of Mark yesterday. Following the parable of the mustard seed, the disciples and Jesus took off to the other side of the lake. Jesus slept soundly in the boat while a storm was raging on the lake, and then he calmed the storm.

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NLT Translation notes:
Mrk 5:8 For Jesus had [already/0] said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “My name is [Batalion/Legion], because there are many of us inside this man.”
[A Roman legion could be as many as 6,826 men.]
15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the [batalion/legion] of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
20 So the man [went/started] off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

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.