Rediscovering God's Word in Ruins

1. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2. He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left. 3. In the eighteenth year of king Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to Yahweh’s house, saying, 4. “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which is brought into Yahweh’s house, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people. 5. Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and let them give it to the workmen who are in Yahweh’s house, to repair the damage to the house, 6. to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house. 7. However there was no accounting made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully.” 8. Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in Yahweh’s house.” Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9. Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hands of the workmen who have the oversight of Yahweh’s house.” 10. Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me.” Then Shaphan read it before the king. 11. When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12. The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13. “Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is Yahweh’s wrath that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.” 14. So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her. 15. She said to them, “Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16. “Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17. Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’” 18. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, tell him, “Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Concerning the words which you have heard, 19. because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you,’ says Yahweh. 20. ‘Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’”’” So they brought this message back to the king. 1. The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2. The king went up to Yahweh’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 Yahweh’s house. 3. The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people agreed to the covenant. 4. The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out of Yahweh’s temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, for the Asherah, and for all the army of the sky, and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5. He got rid of the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the army of the sky. 6. He brought out the Asherah from Yahweh’s house, outside of Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast its dust on the graves of the common people. 7. He broke down the houses of the male shrine prostitutes that were in Yahweh’s house, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city. 9. Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to Yahweh’s altar in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10. He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. 11. He took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of Yahweh’s house, by the room of Nathan Melech the officer, who was in the court; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12. The king broke down the altars that were on the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of Yahweh’s house, and beat them down from there, and cast their dust into the brook Kidron. 13. The king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon. 14. He broke in pieces the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and filled their places with men’s bones. 15. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16. As Josiah turned himself, he spied the tombs that were there in the mountain; and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to Yahweh’s word which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17. Then he said, “What monument is that which I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.” 18. He said, “Let him be! Let no one move his bones.” So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. 19. All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Yahweh to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. 20. He killed all the priests of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burned men’s bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem. 21. The king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 22. Surely there was not kept such a Passover from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23. but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem. 24. Moreover Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in Yahweh’s house. 25. There was no king like him before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; and there was none like him who arose after him. 26. Notwithstanding, Yahweh didn’t turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocation with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27. Yahweh said, “I will also remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’” 28. Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29. In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 30. His servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s place. 31. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, according to all that his fathers had done. 33. Pharaoh Necoh put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34. Pharaoh Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim; but he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. 35. Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Necoh. 36. Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, according to all that his fathers had done.

1. He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3. Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4. If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” 5. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6. The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7. But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table,’ 8. and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10. Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’” 11. As he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. 12. As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. 13. They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14. When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. 15. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. 17. Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18. Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” 19. Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.” 20. Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation; 21. neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.” 22. He said to the disciples, “The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23. They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away, nor follow after them, 24. for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25. But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26. As it was in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. 27. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28. Likewise, even as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29. but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky, and destroyed them all. 30. It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31. In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back. 32. Remember Lot’s wife! 33. Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it. 34. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. The one will be taken, and the other will be left. 35. There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken, and the other will be left.” 36. 37. They, answering, asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there will the vultures also be gathered together.” 1. He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, 2. saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man. 3. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’ 4. He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, 5. yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” 6. The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. 7. Won’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? 8. I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” 9. He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. 10. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13. But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 15. They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16. Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. 17. Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.” 18. A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19. Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God. 20. You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” 21. He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.” 22. When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.” 23. But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich. 24. Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! 25. For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” 26. Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27. But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” 28. Peter said, “Look, we have left everything, and followed you.” 29. He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake, 30. who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.” 31. He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. 32. For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. 33. They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” 34. They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said. 35. As he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging. 36. Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant. 37. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38. He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” 39. Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!” 40. Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him, 41. “What do you want me to do?” He said, “Lord, that I may see again.” 42. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.” 43. Immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God. 1. He entered and was passing through Jericho. 2. There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3. He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. 4. He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. 5. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6. He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. 7. When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” 8. Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” 9. Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” 11. As they heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that God’s Kingdom would be revealed immediately. 12. He said therefore, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13. He called ten servants of his, and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, ‘Conduct business until I come.’ 14. But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to reign over us.’ 15. “When he had come back again, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by conducting business. 16. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.’ 17. “He said to him, ‘Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18. “The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.’ 19. “So he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20. Another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold, your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, 21. for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn’t lay down, and reap that which you didn’t sow.’ 22. “He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I didn’t lay down, and reaping that which I didn’t sow. 23. Then why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank, and at my coming, I might have earned interest on it?’ 24. He said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him, and give it to him who has the ten minas.’ 25. “They said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26. ‘For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him. 27. But bring those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.’” 28. Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29. When he came near to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the mountain that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, 30. saying, “Go your way into the village on the other side, in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, which no man had ever sat upon. Untie it, and bring it. 31. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say to him: ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32. Those who were sent went away, and found things just as he had told them. 33. As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34. They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35. They brought it to Jesus. They threw their cloaks on the colt, and set Jesus on them. 36. As he went, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37. As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, 38. saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!” 39. Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40. He answered them, “I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out.” 41. When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it, 42. saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. 43. For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side, 44. and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.” 45. He entered into the temple, and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46. saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!” 47. He was teaching daily in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people sought to destroy him. 48. They couldn’t find what they might do, for all the people hung on to every word that he said. 1. On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders. 2. They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?” 3. He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me: 4. the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?” 5. They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6. But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7. They answered that they didn’t know where it was from. 8. Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” 9. He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time. 10. At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty. 11. He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12. He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out. 13. The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’ 14. “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15. They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? 16. He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!” 17. But he looked at them, and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?’ 18. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.” 19. The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them. 20. They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. 21. They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. 22. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 23. But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me? 24. Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” 25. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26. They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer, and were silent. 27. Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 28. They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother. 29. There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 30. The second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31. The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 32. Afterward the woman also died. 33. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.” 34. Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35. But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 36. For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.” 39. Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.” 40. They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions. 41. He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son? 42. David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 43. until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ 44. “David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?” 45. In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples, 46. “Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; 47. who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”

1. Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all his praise? 3. Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times. 4. Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation, 5. 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. 6. We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. 7. Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea. 8. Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power known. 9. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert. 10. He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11. The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left. 12. Then they believed his words. They sang his praise. 13. They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel, 14. but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland. 15. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. 16. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint. 17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18. A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked. 19. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image. 20. Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass. 21. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them. 24. Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe his word, 25. but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice. 26. Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness, 27. that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations, and scatter them in the lands. 28. They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them. 30. Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped. 31. That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come. 32. They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes; 33. because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips. 34. They didn’t destroy the peoples, as Yahweh commanded them, 35. but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works. 36. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. 37. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 38. They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. 39. Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds. 40. Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance. 41. He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them. 42. Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand. 43. He rescued them many times, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity. 44. Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry. 45. He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. 46. He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive. 47. Save us, Yahweh, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise! 48. Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!