His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Psalm 146:4 NASB Perish – “We’re spending our children’s inheritance,” said the man reclining in the deck chair on the cruise ship. Yes, of course, it was a joke. I’m sure he planned to leave an amount of his estate to his children, but perhaps David’s…
and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 NASB 1995 Not be conformed – Paul’s exhortation might just be shy of impossible for us. Two thousand…
Then [a]he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord.” Joshua 6:7 NASB He said – During the summer we encountered two American girls at a gelateria in Reggio Emilia. Meeting English speaking Americans is still unusual enough to generate…
Then [a]he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord.” Joshua 6:7 NASB He (they) said – Did you notice the little footnote in this text. It reads: “Joshua 6:7 Another reading is they.” It’s pretty hard to confuse “he” and “they.” …
“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19 NASB Dust – Remember this: The Hebrew word dakkāʾ means both “crushed” and “contrite.” However, it has a second root spelling exactly the…
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 NASB Crushed – One of the joys of teaching English to Italian businesspeople is explaining English idioms. Every language and every culture has its own idioms. Italian, for example, has a lovely idiom about keeping a secret: acqua en boca, which…
Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You are greatly despised. The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, Obadiah 1:2-3a NASB Arrogance – In a conversation with the Rabbi here in Parma, the topic of political arrogance came up. He directed me to the smallest of the prophetic books, Obadiah. The book is purportedly…
You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people; and you are not to [a]jeopardize the [b]life of your neighbor. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:16 NASB Slanderer – Leviticus 19:16 is the foundation for the prohibition against lashon hara. What is lashon hara? “Lashon Hara is any derogatory or damaging statement against an individual. In Hilchot Deot 7:5,…
If you want to see the interior of Oratorio di Sant’Ilario in Parma, you better be on time. The celebration of the patron saint of Parma happens only once a year, on January 13 when the city is blessed by the bishop. That’s it! If you miss, you’ll have to wait another year to see…
Do not trust in noblemen, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Psalm 146:3-4 NASB Nobleman – The world is continuously more and more interconnected. Two years of pandemic disruption could hardly be better evidence. Our lives are intertwined with many, many others, most of…
