Bible in a Year.

On the 323rd day, we witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2), which marks the birth of the Church. Romans 2-3 highlights God's impartiality and the need for repentance. Proverbs 26:27-28 warns us of the inevitable consequences of malicious and deceitful attitudes.

1. And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place:

2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them:

4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

5. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.

7. And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans?

8. And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born?

9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10. Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,

11. Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

12. And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this?

13. But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine.

14. But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words.

15. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day:

16. But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel:

17. And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

18. And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.

19. And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke.

20. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come.

21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.

22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know:

23. This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain.

24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it.

25. For David saith concerning him: I foresaw the Lord before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved.

26. For this my heart hath been glad, and any tongue hath rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.

27. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.

28. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life: thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29. Ye men, brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David; that he died, and was buried; and his sepulchre is with us to this present day.

30. Whereas therefore he was a prophet, and knew that God hath sworn to him with an oath, that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne.

31. Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.

32. This Jesus hath God raised again, whereof all we are witnesses.

33. Being exalted therefore by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath poured forth this which you see and hear.

34. For David ascended not into heaven; but he himself said: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,

35. Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.

36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God hath made both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified.

37. Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men and brethren?

38. But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.

40. And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation.

41. They therefore that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.

42. And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43. And fear came upon every soul: many wonders also and signs were done by the apostles in Jerusalem, and there was great fear in all.

44. And all they that believed, were together, and had all things common.

45. Their possessions and goods they sold, and divided them to all, according as every one had need.

46. And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they took their meat with gladness and simplicity of heart;

47. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord increased daily together such as should be saved.

Chapter 2

1. Wherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou dost the same things which thou judgest.

2. For we know that the judgment of God is, according to truth, against them that do such things.

3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them who do such things, and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and patience, and longsuffering? Knowest thou not, that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance?

5. But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God.

6. Who will render to every man according to his works.

7. To them indeed, who according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life:

8. But to them that are contentious, and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation.

9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek.

10. But glory, and honour, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

11. For there is no respect of persons with God.

12. For whosoever have sinned without the law, shall perish without the law; and whosoever have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law.

13. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14. For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law; these having not the law are a law to themselves:

15. Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them, and their thoughts between themselves accusing, or also defending one another,

16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

17. But if thou art called a Jew and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18. And knowest his will, and approvest the more profitable things, being instructed by the law,

19. Art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

20. An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law.

21. Thou therefore that teachest another, teachest not thyself: thou that preachest that men should not steal, stealest:

22. Thou that sayest, men should not commit adultery, committest adultery: thou that abhorrest idols, committest sacrilege:

23. Thou that makest thy boast of the law, by transgression of the law dishonourest God.

24. (For the name of God through you is blasphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written.)

25. Circumcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26. If, then, the uncircumcised keep the justices of the law, shall not this uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27. And shall not that which by nature is uncircumcision, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law?

28. For it is not he is a Jew, who is so outwardly; nor is that circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh:

29. But he is a Jew, that is one inwardly; and the circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Chapter 3

1. What advantage then hath the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?

2. Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them.

3. For what if some of them have not believed? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid.

4. But God is true; and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged.

5. But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who executeth wrath?

6. (I speak according to man.) God forbid: otherwise how shall God judge this world?

7. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?

8. And not rather (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil, that there may come good? whose damnation is just.

9. What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews, and Greeks, that they are all under sin.

10. As it is written: There is not any man just.

11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12. All have turned out of the way; they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.

13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.

14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15. Their feet swift to shed blood:

16. Destruction and misery in their ways:

17. And the way of peace they have not known:

18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19. Now we know, that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God.

20. Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21. But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

22. Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction:

23. For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.

24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption, that is in Christ Jesus,

25. Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,

26. Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time; that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.

27. Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

28. For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.

29. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.

30. For it is one God, that justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31. Do we, then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid: but we establish the law.

27. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him.

28. A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.