Unity in the Bible: One in Christ

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.

The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.

Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations.

The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.

They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.

Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,

Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.

Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”

They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we will water the sheep.”

Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.

Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.

Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”

Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.

Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.

Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.

Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.”

Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favour in the sight of my lord.”

Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.

You shall dwell with us, and the land will be before you. Live and trade in it, and get possessions in it.”

Only on this condition will we consent to you. If you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised,

then will we give our daughters to you; and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

Their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son.

Hamor and Shechem, his son, came to the gate of their city, and talked with the men of their city, saying,

“These men are peaceful with us. Therefore let them live in the land and trade in it. For behold, the land is large enough for them. Let’s take their daughters to us for wives, and let’s give them our daughters.

Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people, if every male amongst us is circumcised, as they are circumcised.

Won’t their livestock and their possessions and all their animals be ours? Only let’s give our consent to them, and they will dwell with us.”

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”

his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt.

From amongst his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.

Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.

Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.

“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt,

all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great company.

He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God.

The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.

Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to the LORD.”

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household;

and if the household is too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbour next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls. You shall make your count for the lamb according to what everyone can eat.

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening.

A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock.

It must be eaten in one house. You shall not carry any of the meat outside of the house. Do not break any of its bones.

All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.

When a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, and would like to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it. He shall be as one who is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst you.”

But Moses’ hands were heavy; so they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

All the people answered together, and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

Moses came and told the people all the LORD’s words, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken will we do.”

Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, all of it one beaten work of pure gold.

Five curtains shall be coupled together to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.

You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling, and you shall do likewise on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second coupling.

You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains to one another with the clasps. The tabernacle shall be a unit.

You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together.

The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.

“You shall bring the bull before the Tent of Meeting; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.

then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words which the LORD has commanded, that you should do them.

He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.

He made fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling. The loops were opposite to one another.

He made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains to one another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was a unit.

He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.

He made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the coupling, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which was outermost in the second coupling.

He made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together, that it might be a unit.

Each board had two tenons, joined to one another. He made all the boards of the tabernacle this way.

Every meal offering, mixed with oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, one as well as another.

and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”

Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting. All the congregation came near and stood before the LORD.

No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.

The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born amongst you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a foreigner with you.

“‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself amongst you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.

I will walk amongst you, and will be your God, and you will be my people.

“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one,

from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall count them by their divisions.

With you there shall be a man of every tribe, each one head of his fathers’ house.

These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one.

The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions.

“The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall encamp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it.

“Those who encamp on the east side towards the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The prince of the children of Issachar shall be Nethanel the son of Zuar.

“The tribe of Zebulun: the prince of the children of Zebulun shall be Eliab the son of Helon.

“All who were counted of the camp of Judah were one hundred and eighty-six thousand and four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first.

“On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were fifty-nine thousand and three hundred.

“The tribe of Gad: the prince of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

“All who were counted of the camp of Reuben were one hundred and fifty-one thousand and four hundred and fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.

“Then the Tent of Meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set out, every man in his place, by their standards.

“On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.

“Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were thirty-two thousand and two hundred.

“The tribe of Benjamin: the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

His army, and those who were counted of them, were thirty-five thousand and four hundred.

“All who were counted of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred and eight thousand and one hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out third.

“On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were sixty-two thousand and seven hundred.

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The prince of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ochran.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-one thousand and five hundred.

“The tribe of Naphtali: the prince of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.

His division, and those who were counted of them, were fifty-three thousand and four hundred.

“All who were counted of the camp of Dan were one hundred and fifty-seven thousand and six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards.”

Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, everyone by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.

the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, gave offerings. These were the princes of the tribes. These are they who were over those who were counted;

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin,

On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan,

On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher,

On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali,

You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting. You shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.

You shall present the Levites before the LORD. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,

“‘If a foreigner lives amongst you and desires to keep the Passover to the LORD, then he shall do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner and for him who is born in the land.’”

“Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation and for the journeying of the camps.

When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.

But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm.

First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army.

Nethanel the son of Zuar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar.

Eliab the son of Helon was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun.

The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward.

The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army.

Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon.

Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad.

The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived.

The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army.

Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh.

Abidan the son of Gideoni was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.

The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.

Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher.

Ahira the son of Enan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali.

Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they went forward.

He said to him, “I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives.”

Moses said, “Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

The LORD said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you.

I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you don’t bear it yourself alone.

Moses went out, and told the people the LORD’s words; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them around the Tent.

Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”

Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.

If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be amongst you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD, as you do, so he shall do.

For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the foreigner shall be before the LORD.

One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.’”

All the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst them; for with regard to all the people, it was done unwittingly.

You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born amongst the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst them.

Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was amongst their rods.

Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod.

Bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you; but you and your sons with you shall be before the Tent of the Testimony.

They shall be joined to you and keep the responsibility of the Tent of Meeting, for all the service of the Tent. A stranger shall not come near to you.

Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”

They travelled from Kadesh, and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

the well, which the princes dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the sceptre, and with their poles.” From the wilderness they travelled to Mattanah;

When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

You shall send one thousand out of every tribe, throughout all the tribes of Israel, to the war.”

So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

Moses and Eleazar the priest, with all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them outside of the camp.

Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying,

Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?

but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have all received their inheritance.

You answered me, and said, “The thing which you have spoken is good to do.”

The thing pleased me well. I took twelve of your men, one man for every tribe.

I commanded you at that time, saying, “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it. All of you men of valour shall pass over armed before your brothers, the children of Israel.

until the LORD gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.”

Hear, Israel: the LORD is our God. The LORD is one.

You shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, and your sons, your daughters, your male servants, your female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

but you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates. You shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you put your hand to.

Be careful that you don’t forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

You shall rejoice before the LORD your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are amongst you, in the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there.

You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates.

you shall surely set him whom the LORD your God chooses as king over yourselves. You shall set as king over you one from amongst your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.

They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.

You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray and hide yourself from them. You shall surely bring them again to your brother.

You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide yourself from them. You shall surely help him to lift them up again.

You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.

Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God.

“These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

With a loud voice, the Levites shall say to all the men of Israel,

All of you stand today in the presence of the LORD your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel,

your little ones, your wives, and the foreigners who are in the middle of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water,

Neither do I make this covenant and this oath with you only,

but with those who stand here with us today before the LORD our God, and also with those who are not here with us today

when all Israel has come to appear before the LORD your God in the place which he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law,

He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

This is for Judah. He said, “Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah. Bring him in to his people. With his hands he contended for himself. You shall be a help against his adversaries.”

Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall live in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valour, and shall help them

until the LORD has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they have also possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and possess it, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan towards the sunrise.’”

Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.

“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,

Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.

Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;

The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.

The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.

I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them.

All the people, even the men of war who were with him, went up and came near, and came before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai.

All Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the LORD’s covenant, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.

There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were amongst them.

they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they lived amongst them.

The children of Israel travelled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live amongst us?

Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,

“Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Gibeon; for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.

The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.”

Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.

Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it.

Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.

Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.

Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

When Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,

and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,

The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them.

They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall live in his borders on the south, and the house of Joseph shall live in their borders on the north.

Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.

Then the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

The children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the commandment of the LORD, these cities with their pasture lands.

Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of the LORD your God.

and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers.”

When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest.

With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses amongst the thousands of Israel.

They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD’s tabernacle dwells, and take possession amongst us; but don’t rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the LORD our God’s altar.

Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,

“If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.”’ So your children might make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

“Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;

but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the LORD.’

“Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of the LORD’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’

When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.

Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is amongst us, because you have not committed this trespass against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the LORD’s hand.”

Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived.

Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and well advanced in years.

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot.” So Simeon went with him.

The children of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.

The children of Benjamin didn’t drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

Manasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, but the Canaanites lived in Gezer amongst them.

Zebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived amongst them, and became subject to forced labour.

When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.

Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, amongst your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.

The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.

But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him.

He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.

Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan!” So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan.

The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply.

His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.”

All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.

He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they incite the city against you.

Abimelech was told that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpah.

The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Therefore we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the children of Ammon. You will be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!”

Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman amongst your brothers’ daughters, or amongst all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.

They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?”

The family of the Danites set out from Zorah and Eshtaol with six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us. Be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to the LORD at Mizpah.

The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew sword.

Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”

All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn to his house.

But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;

and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done in Israel.”

So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.

They said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”

The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.

They said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” Behold, no one came from Jabesh Gilead to the camp to the assembly.

For when the people were counted, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there.

The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”

Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.

that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”

Samuel called the people together to the LORD to Mizpah;

So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.

He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, then sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

His armour bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go, and behold, I am with you according to your heart.”

Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.

When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.

But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.

Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.

Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house at Ramah. Then David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.

David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went out to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them.

Then all the wicked men and worthless fellows of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the plunder that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away and depart.”

Who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays with the baggage. They shall share alike.”

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.

The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”

Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”

Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.

Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.

So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.

David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

So David and all the house of Israel brought up the LORD’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

He gave to all the people, even amongst the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house.

The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

David was told that; and he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him.

Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called by my name.”

David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.

It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.

When David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

Then the king arose and sat in the gate. The people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”

King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house?

You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’

He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.

So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”

All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”

The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”

So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favours Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.

He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him.

Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants;

but he didn’t call Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.

All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.

Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David.

Now therefore command that cedar trees be cut for me out of Lebanon. My servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say. For you know that there is nobody amongst us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning cypress timber.

My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”

Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

The other cherub was ten cubits. Both the cherubim were of one measure and one form.

One cherub was ten cubits high, and so was the other cherub.

He set the cherubim within the inner house. The wings of the cherubim were stretched out, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the middle of the house.

He made the ten bases in this way: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel with all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion.

All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.

The king turned his face around and blessed all the assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel stood.

Solomon stood before the LORD’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven;

“Moreover, concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he comes out of a far country for your name’s sake

hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.

So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days.

Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed David’s house, except for the tribe of Judah only.

After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.

Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the LORD’s altar that had been thrown down.

He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, killed them, and boiled their meat with the oxen’s equipment, and gave to the people; and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.

Now the men observed diligently and hurried to take this phrase; and they said, “Your brother Ben Hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came out to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

In the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.”

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.

He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?” He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armour, young and old, and stood on the border.

The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.

Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”

One said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”

So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.

Joram said, “Get ready!” They got his chariot ready. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot; and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him on Naboth the Jezreelite’s land.

He lifted up his face to the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.

When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

The king went up to the LORD’s house, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him—with the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the LORD’s house.

Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to the LORD’s altar in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread amongst their brothers.

Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,

On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,

The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief),

Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them,

Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem, near their relatives.

Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the LORD’s word concerning Israel.

Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

Some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.

David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.”

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them captains of the band.

As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh.

They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valour and were captains in the army.

The children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war.

Of the children of Levi: four thousand and six hundred.

Jehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred,

Of the children of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives: three thousand, for until then, the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house.

Of the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king.

All these were men of war who could order the battle array, and came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had supplied provisions for them.

Moreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen: supplies of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Israel.

David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader.

David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let’s send word everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have pasture lands, that they may gather themselves to us.

All the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor River of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim.

David went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there God the LORD’s ark that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name.

David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the LORD’s ark to its place, which he had prepared for it.

David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred and twelve.

David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

and with them their brothers of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers’ house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

These likewise cast lots even as their brothers the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites, the fathers’ households of the chief even as those of his younger brother.

for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the LORD’s house.

Now the children of Israel after their number, the heads of fathers’ households and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in any matter of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year—of every division were twenty-four thousand.

The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the Benjamites. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zerahites. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was the ruler; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;

of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; of Aaron, Zadok;

of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David; of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael;

of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel;

of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah;

David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valour, to Jerusalem.

Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God’s house. Every willing man who has skill for any kind of service shall be with you in all kinds of work. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command.”

Then the princes of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly;

Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God!” All the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.

and ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before the LORD to be prince, and Zadok to be priest.

All the princes, the mighty men, and also all of the sons of King David submitted themselves to Solomon the king.

Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ households.

Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for God’s Tent of Meeting was there, which the LORD’s servant Moses had made in the wilderness.

“Send me also cedar trees, cypress trees, and algum trees out of Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. Behold, my servants will be with your servants,

and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you need. We will bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa; then you shall carry it up to Jerusalem.”

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion.

So all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.

All the elders of Israel came. The Levites took up the ark.

King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled to him were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.

When the priests had come out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, and didn’t keep their divisions;

also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets);

when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!” then the house was filled with a cloud, even the LORD’s house,

The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel stood.

So Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So all Israel departed to their tents.

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.

He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

“Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”

Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, with which Baasha had built; and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab.

After some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.

Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.”

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from the LORD. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the LORD’s house, before the new court;

All Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. They made the ships in Ezion Geber.

In the seventh year, Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds—Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri—into a covenant with him.

They went around in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the LORD’s house. They came through the upper gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.

All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the wide place on the east,

But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the LORD’s house at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.

For the king had taken counsel with his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the second month.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, and the people had not gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it in great numbers in the way it is written.

Also the hand of God came on Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the LORD’s word.

Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness.

All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.

he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city, and they helped him.

Then many people gathered together and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the middle of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find abundant water?”

They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into God’s house, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered from the hands of Manasseh, Ephraim, of all the remnant of Israel, of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

The king went up to the LORD’s house with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both great and small—and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the LORD’s house.

He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

Stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brothers the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a fathers’ house of the Levites.

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small livestock and five hundred head of cattle.

So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their divisions, according to the king’s commandment.

The singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers were at every gate. They didn’t need to depart from their service, because their brothers the Levites prepared for them.

There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, nor did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept—with the priests, the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.

Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’”

All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with precious things, in addition to all that was willingly offered.

who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand and three hundred and sixty,

So the priests and the Levites, with some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house.

Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build God’s house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.

The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, ate,

Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.

I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi.

Then I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers.

and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;

Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burnt with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.”

I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate. They sanctified it, and set up its doors. They sanctified it even to the tower of Hammeah, to the tower of Hananel.

Next to him the men of Jericho built. Next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

The sons of Hassenaah built the fish gate. They laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

Next to them, Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them, Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them, Zadok the son of Baana made repairs.

Next to them, the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles didn’t put their necks to the Lord’s work.

Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the old gate. They laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

Next to them, Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor beyond the River.

Next to him, Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they fortified Jerusalem even to the wide wall.

Next to them, Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.

Next to them, Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house. Next to him, Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs.

Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahathmoab repaired another portion and the tower of the furnaces.

Next to him, Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters made repairs.

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the valley gate. They built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate.

Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem, repaired the dung gate. He built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the spring gate. He built it, covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he repaired the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from David’s city.

After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.

After him, the Levites—Rehum the son of Bani made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.

After him, their brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah made repairs.

Next to him, Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, repaired another portion across from the ascent to the armoury at the turning of the wall.

After him, Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

After him, Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.

After him, the priests, the men of the surrounding area made repairs.

After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs across from their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house.

After him, Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another portion, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner.

Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the turning of the wall, and the tower that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.

After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, opposite the great tower that stands out, and to the wall of Ophel.

Above the horse gate, the priests made repairs, everyone across from his own house.

After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate, made repairs.

After him, Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another portion. After him, Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs across from his room.

After him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths to the house of the temple servants, and of the merchants, made repairs opposite the gate of Hammiphkad and to the ascent of the corner.

Between the ascent of the corner and the sheep gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

and they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion amongst us.

Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon.

Amongst the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me.

I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”

So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day.”

So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.

I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.

I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.

Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred and fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from amongst the nations that were around us.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.

who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

The men of Ramah and Geba: six hundred and twenty-one.

The men of Michmas: one hundred and twenty-two.

The men of Bethel and Ai: one hundred and twenty-three.

The men of the other Nebo: fifty-two.

The children of the other Elam: one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four.

The children of Harim: three hundred and twenty.

The children of Jericho: three hundred and forty-five.

The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: seven hundred and twenty-one.

The children of Senaah: three thousand and nine hundred and thirty.

The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua: nine hundred and seventy-three.

The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand and three hundred and sixty,

That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ garments.

So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.

All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate.

The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai,

Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.

The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

Now these are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah, everyone lived in his possession in their cities—Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

Some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;

and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.

These are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.

After him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight.

Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks and with singing, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and with harps.

The sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;

also from Beth Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.

and after them went Hoshaiah, with half of the princes of Judah,

and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph;

and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

By the spring gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of David’s city, at the ascent of the wall, above David’s house, even to the water gate eastward.

The other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people on the wall above the tower of the furnaces, even to the wide wall,

and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate; and they stood still in the gate of the guard.

So the two companies of those who gave thanks in God’s house stood, and I and the half of the rulers with me;

and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.

When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honour, both great and small.”

This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives—to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.

Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, a holiday, and a day of sending presents of food to one another.

Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

The Jews accepted the custom that they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them,

the Jews established and imposed on themselves, on their descendants, and on all those who joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail that they would keep these two days according to what was written and according to its appointed time every year;

He sent letters to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth,

His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Behold, I am towards God even as you are. I am also formed out of the clay.

Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know amongst ourselves what is good.

One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.

Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that the LORD had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.

As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Oh magnify the LORD with me. Let’s exalt his name together.

She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!

For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.

both low and high, rich and poor together.

All the earth will worship you, and will sing to you; they will sing to your name.” Selah.

let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.

Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.

The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company.

“Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord— Selah—

For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you.

Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.

I will record Rahab and Babylon amongst those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.”

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.

I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people.

I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people,

in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!

Let those who fear you turn to me. They will know your statutes.

Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,

where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the LORD’s name.

For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

“We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.”

A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!

The LORD builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth,

both young men and maidens, old men and children.

Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.

You shall cast your lot amongst us. We’ll all have one purse”—

Don’t devise evil against your neighbour, since he dwells securely by you.

Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.

He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarrelling breaks out.

It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling.

Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.

The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.

My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses amongst the lilies.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He browses amongst the lilies.

I am my beloved’s. His desire is towards me.

You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!

He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

The envy also of Ephraim will depart, and those who persecute Judah will be cut off. Ephraim won’t envy Judah, and Judah won’t persecute Ephraim.

They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them.

For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob.

In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing within the earth;

Everyone helps his neighbour. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.”

Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD returns to Zion.

Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD speak, saying, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to serve him, and to love the LORD’s name, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant,

“Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather themselves together. They come to you. Your sons will come from far away, and your daughters will be carried in arms.

All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar; and I will beautify my glorious house.

“Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way of the people! Build up, build up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a banner for the peoples.

They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the LORD’s house.

It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says the LORD.

At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The LORD’s Throne;’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the LORD’s name, to Jerusalem. They will no longer walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance to your fathers.

“At that time,” says the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

For there will be a day that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry, ‘Arise! Let’s go up to Zion to the LORD our God.’”

Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, along with the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together. They will return as a great company.

Judah and all its cities will dwell therein together, the farmers, and those who go about with flocks.

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the LORD: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and I will write it in their heart. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

They will no longer each teach his neighbour, and every man teach his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD;’ for they will all know me, from their least to their greatest,” says the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.

I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good and the good of their children after them.

then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.

Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and amongst the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan,

then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered very much wine and summer fruits.

Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

Now in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring and one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.

So all the people who Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.

Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,

Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

Then all the men who knew that their wives burnt incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, even all the people who lived in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,

The women said, “When we burnt incense to the queen of the sky and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her, without our husbands?”

“In those days, and in that time,” says the LORD, “the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah together; they will go on their way weeping, and will seek the LORD their God.

They will enquire concerning Zion with their faces turned towards it, saying, ‘Come, and join yourselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.’

Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.

When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.

When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn’t turn from beside them.

When they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh,

that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”’

Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells at your left hand, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom with her daughters.

They will know that I, the LORD, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD.

You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

“You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’

Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations. They won’t be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

“‘“My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances and observe my statutes, and do them.

My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his hordes—even many peoples with you.

“‘“You shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the offering of the holy portion. It shall be for the whole house of Israel.

“All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the prince in Israel.

The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.

In the four corners of the court there were courts enclosed, forty cubits long and thirty wide. These four in the corners were the same size.

“So you shall divide this land to yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live amongst you, who will father children amongst you. Then they shall be to you as the native-born amongst the children of Israel. They shall have inheritance with you amongst the tribes of Israel.

The remainder of the length, alongside the holy offering, shall be ten thousand eastward and ten thousand westward; and it shall be alongside the holy offering. Its increase shall be for food to those who labour in the city.

Those who labour in the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.

Moreover, from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the middle of that which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.

“As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin, one portion.

“By the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion.

“By the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion.

“By the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun, one portion.

“By the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad, one portion.

and the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.

“At the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.

“At the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.

“At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.

Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

At the end of years they will join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain the strength of her arm. He will also not stand, nor will his arm; but she will be given up, with those who brought her, and he who became the father of her, and he who strengthened her in those times.

The children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint themselves one head, and will go up from the land; for great will be the day of Jezreel.

Ephraim mixes himself amongst the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.

Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD, your God, and cry to the LORD.

One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defences and don’t break ranks.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.

Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?

In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them.

I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture. They will swarm with people.

Many nations will go and say, “Come! Let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and the LORD’s word from Jerusalem;

Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labour gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.

Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,

For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshippers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.

Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell amongst you, and you shall know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

In that day,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘you will invite every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.’”

Those who are far off shall come and build in the LORD’s temple; and you shall know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey the LORD your God’s voice.”’”

I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

The LORD of Armies says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Armies. I will go also.’

Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD.”

The LORD of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Then I cut apart my other staff, Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

It will happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.

The LORD will be King over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be one, and his name one.

Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Then those who feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD listened and heard, and a book of memory was written before him for those who feared the LORD and who honoured his name.

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh’?

So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”

When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.

But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.

A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

But he who is greatest amongst you will be your servant.

Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it,

Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.

All the city was gathered together at the door.

Simon and those who were with him searched for him.

They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.

He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.

For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”

Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.

He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

They saw them going, and many recognised him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him.

They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me.

For whoever is not against us is on our side.

Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh.

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant towards James and John.

But it shall not be so amongst you, but whoever wants to become great amongst you shall be your servant.

Whoever of you wants to become first amongst you shall be bondservant of all.

The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

When it was evening he came with the twelve.

He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.

They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;

Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon who was called the Zealot;

Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases,

and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them from their possessions.

When a great multitude came together and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable:

An argument arose amongst them about which of them was the greatest.

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”

Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come.

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.

“He who is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.

Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in and sat at the table.

They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom.

When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him.

When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’

When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.

He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this and share it amongst yourselves,

A dispute also arose amongst them, which of them was considered to be greatest.

But not so with you. Rather, the one who is greater amongst you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.

Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.

returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them,

Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding.

After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Just then, his disciples came. They marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, “What are you looking for?” or, “Why do you speak with her?”

For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’

I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t laboured. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.”

So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days.

Jesus went up into the mountain, and he sat there with his disciples.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will also live because of me.

Even if I do judge, my judgement is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.

I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

I and the Father are one.”

But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you.

All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.

that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.

The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one,

I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know that you sent me and loved them, even as you loved me.

I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.

Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing.

But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away), dragging the net full of fish.

When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred and twenty), and said,

For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”

All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

Being let go, they came to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

For neither was there amongst them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

having a field, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done amongst the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

Therefore, select from amongst you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,

On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.

Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.

“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

He was with them entering into Jerusalem,

When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

So he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.

They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

“Can anyone forbid these people from being baptised with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”

Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,

saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,

The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.

The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.

When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men amongst the brothers.

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

After they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brothers to the apostles.

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”

Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also.

but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.

The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.

Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

and because he practised the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgement seat,

When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.

When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him; and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

They were about twelve men in all.

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas.

We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.

On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.

There were many lights in the upper room where we were gathered together.

When he had gone up, had broken bread and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed.

When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly.

When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day.

On the next day, we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.

In all, we were two hundred and seventy-six souls on the ship.

where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute amongst themselves.

that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit amongst you also, even as amongst the rest of the Gentiles.

I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death?

For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;

us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in amongst them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function,

so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,

In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honour prefer one another,

contributing to the needs of the saints, and given to hospitality.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind one towards another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, to be building him up.

Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor amongst the saints who are at Jerusalem.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things.

Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,

that you receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

Greet Mary, who laboured much for us.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable amongst the apostles, who were also in Christ before me.

Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.

Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who laboured much in the Lord.

Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.

Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learnt, and turn away from them.

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.

I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:

God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions amongst you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgement.

For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions amongst you.

Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised into the name of Paul?

so that no one should say that I had baptised you into my own name.

Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.

for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions amongst you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?

Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labour.

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.

Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbour, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man amongst you who would be able to decide between his brothers?

But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers!

Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

No, but you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that against your brothers.

Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!

Or don’t you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will become one flesh.”

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise also the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband

(but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.

But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband.

Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?

Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.

Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbour’s good.

Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;

even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.

For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.

But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.

For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist amongst you, and I partly believe it.

For there also must be factions amongst you, that those who are approved may be revealed amongst you.

When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.

For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.

What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.

Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgement. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.

Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.

There are various kinds of workings, but the same God who works all things in all.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body.

If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be?

If they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now they are many members, but one body.

The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.”

No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

Those parts of the body which we think to be less honourable, on those we bestow more abundant honour; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant modesty,

while our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honour to the inferior part,

that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?

But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?

For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

However, in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy?

What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages.

Let all things be done decently and in order.

Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

But with you it may be that I will stay with you, or even winter with you, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go.

Therefore let no one despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brothers.

Now concerning Apollos the brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but it was not at all his desire to come now; but he will come when he has an opportunity.

Now I beg you, brothers—you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints—

that you also be in subjection to such, and to everyone who helps in the work and labours.

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part, they supplied.

For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge those who are like that.

The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.

All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

This greeting is by me, Paul, with my own hand.

My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

as also you acknowledged us in part—that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be shared by all of you.

Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

Now in return—I speak as to my children—you also open your hearts.

Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever?

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality.

We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies.

Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.

We have sent with them our brother whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ.

Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.

It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to those of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for the past year. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them.

But I have sent the brothers so that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.

Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good towards all men, and especially towards those who are of the household of the faith.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands),

For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation,

having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace,

and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it.

For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;

in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;

in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,

to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,

may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,

with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.

for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,

from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbour, for we are members of one another.

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.

“For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.”

This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly.

You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state and that he may comfort your hearts.

Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:

for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honour,

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.

Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind.

Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.

I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.

Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they laboured with me in the Good News with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

However you did well that you shared in my affliction.

You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.

For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.

All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.

Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,

All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received instructions, “if he comes to you, receive him”),

and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for God’s Kingdom who are of the circumcision, men who have been a comfort to me.

Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, with Nymphas and the assembly that is in his house.

When this letter has been read amongst you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love towards one another and towards all men, even as we also do towards you,

that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it towards all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labour amongst you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

and to respect and honour them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace amongst yourselves.

We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient towards all.

Brothers, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds,

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us.

If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Be diligent to come to me soon,

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you—

to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility towards all men.

but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,

All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

hearing of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints,

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there might be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;

but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end,

Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Let brotherly love continue.

Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.

But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.

Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.

For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,

and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”

haven’t you shown partiality amongst yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.

Is any amongst you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,

You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

And above all things be earnest in your love amongst yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you. So does Mark, my son.

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.

For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another—

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.

We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.

Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Having many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full.

The children of your chosen sister greet you. Amen.

Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.

They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.

I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it so that they may enter.

He said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”