The Berean Pursuit
These readings follow the schedule by Mark Roberts, which can be downloaded as a PDF from his website.
Joel and Matthew Williams recorded daily Bible readings 5 days a week in different translations for three years. The last two years of readings are provided as separate podcasts so you can choose which translation you want to listen to.
These recordings are from either the LEB (Lexham English Bible) recorded in 2015 or the NASB (New American Standard Bible) recorded in 2016.
This year, Joel is trying something different, with the BSB (Berean Standard Bible). He has a video podcast on YouTube and Spotify and you can listen to an audio version of it through other podcast apps.
2025's reading began on December 30, 2024. The current day's reading is Week 17, Day 5.
You can also keep track of your reading or even read in other translations at the full schedule.
Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.
The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.
Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height, and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels, and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.
And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and labor for us."
Then the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!"
On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years. The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. And David was the youngest.
The three oldest had followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep in Bethlehem.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.
One day Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."
So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry. And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.
Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.
When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.
Now the men of Israel had been saying, "Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father's house from taxation in Israel."
David asked the men who were standing with him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
The people told him about the offer, saying, "That is what will be done for the man who kills him."
Now when David's oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. "Why have you come down here?" he asked. "And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart-you have come down to see the battle!"
"What have I done now?" said David. "Was it not just a question?" Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.
Now David's words were overheard and reported to Saul, who called for him.
And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!"
But Saul replied, "You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth."
David replied, "Your servant has been tending his father's sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God."
David added, "The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
"Go," said Saul, "and may the LORD be with you."
Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor. David strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them.
"I cannot walk in these," David said to Saul. "I am not accustomed to them." So David took them off. And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.
Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome. "Am I a dog," he said to David, "that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. "Come here," he called to David, "and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"
But David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give all of you into our hands."
As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine's sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him; and he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?"
"As surely as you live, O king," Abner replied, "I do not know."
"Find out whose son this young man is!" said the king.
So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul.
"Whose son are you, young man?" asked Saul.
"I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem," David replied.
These were the sons of Israel:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, who put him to death.
Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.
The sons of Perez:
Hezron and Hamul.
The sons of Zerah:
Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara-five in all.
The son of Carmi:
Achar, who brought trouble upon Israel by violating the ban on devoted things.
The son of Ethan:
Azariah.
The sons who were born to Hezron:
Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.
Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, a leader of the descendants of Judah.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon, and Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; Abinadab was born second, Shimea third, Nethanel fourth, Raddai fifth, Ozem sixth, and David seventh. Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel. Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.
Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah and by Jerioth. These were the sons of Azubah: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore to him Hur. Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri was the father of Bezalel.
Later, Hezron slept with the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead. He had married her when he was sixty years old, and she bore to him Segub. Segub was the father of Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth-jair, along with Kenath and its sixty surrounding villages. All these were descendants of Machir the father of Gilead.
After Hezron died in Caleb-ephrathah, his wife Abijah bore to him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron:
Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. Jerahmeel had another wife named Atarah, who was the mother of Onam.
The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel:
Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.
The sons of Onam:
Shammai and Jada.
The sons of Shammai:
Nadab and Abishur. Abishur's wife was named Abihail, and she bore to him Ahban and Molid.
The sons of Nadab:
Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.
The son of Appaim:
Ishi.
The son of Ishi:
Sheshan.
The son of Sheshan:
Ahlai.
The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai:
Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.
The sons of Jonathan:
Peleth and Zaza.
These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.
Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters; but he did have an Egyptian servant named Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore to him Attai.
Attai was the father of Nathan, Nathan was the father of Zabad, Zabad was the father of Ephlal, Ephlal was the father of Obed, Obed was the father of Jehu, Jehu was the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Helez, Helez was the father of Elasah, Elasah was the father of Sismai, Sismai was the father of Shallum, Shallum was the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah was the father of Elishama.
The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel:
Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and Mareshah his second son, who was the father of Hebron.
The sons of Hebron:
Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. Shema was the father of Raham the father of Jorkeam, and Rekem was the father of Shammai. The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth-zur.
Caleb's concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.
The sons of Jahdai:
Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.
Caleb's concubine Maacah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. She was also the mother of Shaaph father of Madmannah, and of Sheva father of Machbenah and Gibea. Caleb's daughter was Acsah. These were the descendants of Caleb.
The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah:
Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth-gader.
These were the descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim:
Haroeh, half the Manahathites, and the clans of Kiriath-jearim-the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.
The descendants of Salma:
Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, and the clans of the scribes who lived at Jabez-the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.
About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his wrists. "Get dressed and put on your sandals," said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."
So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod's grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying. He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, "Peter is standing at the gate!"
"You are out of your mind," they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. "Send word to James and to the brothers," he said, and he left for another place.
At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king's country for food. On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. And they began to shout, "This is the voice of a god, not a man!"
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.