Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve

1. After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2. 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. 3. You have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you. 4. Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun. 5. Yahweh your God will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. You shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you. 6. “Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn away from it to the right hand or to the left; 7. that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them; 8. but hold fast to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day. 9. “For Yahweh has driven great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. 10. One man of you shall chase a thousand; for it is Yahweh your God who fights for you, as he spoke to you. 11. Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God. 12. “But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you; 13. know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 14. “Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you. All have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it. 15. It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you, 16. when you disobey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then Yahweh’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.” 1. 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. 2. Joshua said to all the people, “Yahweh says, the God of Israel, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods. 3. I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac. 4. I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5. “‘I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6. I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea. 7. When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness many days. 8. “‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you. 9. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10. but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11. “‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand. 12. I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow. 13. I gave you a land whereon you had not labored, and cities which you didn’t build, and you live in them. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant.’ 14. “Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh. 15. If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.” 16. The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods; 17. for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the peoples through the middle of whom we passed. 18. Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God.” 19. Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve Yahweh, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins. 20. If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.” 21. The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve Yahweh.” 22. Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.” 23. “Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.” 24. The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.” 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh. 27. Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all Yahweh’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.” 28. So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. 29. After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. 30. They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 31. Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel. 32. They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. 33. Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.

1. Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2. He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 3. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 10. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11. “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. 14. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 16. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 17. “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. 19. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 21. “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22. But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. 23. “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 24. leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 26. Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny. 27. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ 28. but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 30. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 31. “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ 32. but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. 33. “Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’ 34. but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; 35. nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. 37. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. 38. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39. But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42. Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you. 43. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44. But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45. that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47. If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 48. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. 1. “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4. so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 5. “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 8. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. 9. Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 11. Give us today our daily bread. 12. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’ 14. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16. “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 18. so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 19. “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 23. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. 25. Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26. See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27. “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28. Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29. yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31. “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32. For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient. 1. “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 3. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4. Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 5. You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6. “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 7. “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10. Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12. Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 13. “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. 14. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. 15. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 16. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17. Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. 18. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 19. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. 20. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23. Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’ 24. “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 25. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 27. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 28. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29. for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language; 2. Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3. The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back. 4. The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. 5. What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back? 6. You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs? 7. Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8. who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.