Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a year podcast, where we

encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a year podcast is brought to you by

Ascension. Using the great adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation,

discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and now we fit into that story

today. Speaking of today, it is Day 272, day 272, it's kind of a palindrome. And we're reading Nehemiah, chapter one and two. Remember, Ezra was one book. Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book. Now, we're continuing this story, but at the same time, it is fascinating to note that Nehemiah is written in the first person. And so Nehemiah is going to be the one telling us the story for these chapters, chapter one and two. Also Zechariah, chapter 12 and 13 will conclude Zechariah, the prophet tomorrow. But right now we have Zechariah, chapter 12 and 13. We also have Proverbs chapter 20 versus 20 through 22. As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the revised standard version in the second Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and daily updates.

It is day 272.

We're reading Nehemiah 1 and 2, Sykariah 12 and 13 in Proverbs, chapter 20, verse 20 through 22.

The Book of Nehemiah.

Chapter 1.

Nehemiah's prayers.

The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hakalaya. Now it happened in the month

Chislev, in the 20th year, as I was in Susa, the capital, that Hanani, one of my brethren,

came with certain men out of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews that survived, who had

escaped exile and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me,

the survivors there in the province who escaped exile are in great trouble and shame. The wall

of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. When I heard these words,

I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven,

and I said, O Lord, God of heaven, the great and terrible God who keeps covenant and merciful love

with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes be open

to hear the prayer of your servant which I now pray before you day and night for the

sons of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have sinned against

you. Yes, I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not

...