Faith, Not Works; Belief Precedes Confession

1. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2. “Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” 3. Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian. 4. Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, you shall send to the war.” 5. So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6. Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7. They fought against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses. They killed every male. 8. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9. The children of Israel took the women of Midian captive with their little ones; and all their livestock, all their flocks, and all their goods, they took as plunder. 10. All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire. 11. They took all the captives, and all the plunder, both of man and of animal. 12. They brought the captives, and the prey, and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho. 13. Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them outside of the camp. 14. Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15. Moses said to them, “Have you saved all the women alive? 16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh. 17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18. But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19. “Encamp outside of the camp seven days. Whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives. 20. As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves.” 21. Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, “This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses: 22. however the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23. everything that may withstand the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water. 24. You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. Afterward you shall come into the camp.” 25. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 26. “Count the plunder that was taken, both of man and of animal, you, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation; 27. and divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28. Levy a tribute to Yahweh of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred; of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks. 29. Take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest, for Yahweh’s wave offering. 30. Of the children of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites, who perform the duty of Yahweh’s tabernacle.” 31. Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahweh commanded Moses. 32. Now the plunder, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep, 33. and seventy-two thousand head of cattle, 34. and sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35. and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him. 36. The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep: 37. and Yahweh’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five. 38. The cattle were thirty-six thousand; of which Yahweh’s tribute was seventy-two. 39. The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred; of which Yahweh’s tribute was sixty-one. 40. The persons were sixteen thousand; of whom Yahweh’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41. Moses gave the tribute, which was Yahweh’s wave offering, to Eleazar the priest, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 42. Of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from the men who fought 43. (now the congregation’s half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44. and thirty-six thousand head of cattle, 45. and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46. and sixteen thousand persons), 47. even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites, who performed the duty of Yahweh’s tabernacle; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 48. The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses. 49. They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us. 50. We have brought Yahweh’s offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before Yahweh.” 51. Moses and Eleazar the priest took their gold, even all worked jewels. 52. All the gold of the wave offering that they offered up to Yahweh, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53. The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself. 54. Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh. 1. Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for livestock; 2. 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, 3. “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4. the land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock.” 5. They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Don’t bring us over the Jordan.” 6. Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here? 7. Why do you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Yahweh has given them? 8. Your fathers did so when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9. For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Yahweh had given them. 10. Yahweh’s anger burned in that day, and he swore, saying, 11. ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me, 12. except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have followed Yahweh completely.’ 13. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in Yahweh’s sight, was consumed. 14. “Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel. 15. For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.” 16. They came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones; 17. 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. 18. We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have each inherited their inheritance. 19. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.” 20. Moses said to them, “If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war, 21. and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22. and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh. 23. “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out. 24. Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth.” 25. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27. but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before Yahweh to battle, as my lord says.” 28. So Moses commanded concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29. Moses said to them, “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before Yahweh, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; 30. but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” 31. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do. 32. We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.” 33. Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to its cities and borders, even the cities of the surrounding land. 34. The children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35. Atrothshophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36. Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37. The children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38. Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah. They gave other names to the cities which they built. 39. The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein. 40. Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein. 41. Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its villages, and called them Havvoth Jair. 42. Nobah went and took Kenath, and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name. 1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh. These are their journeys according to their goings out. 3. They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4. while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them. Yahweh also executed judgments on their gods. 5. The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth. 6. They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7. They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol. 8. They traveled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah. 9. They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim. In Elim, there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there. 10. They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea. 11. They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12. They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13. They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14. They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15. They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16. They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah. 17. They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. 18. They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. 19. They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez. 20. They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah. 21. They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah. 22. They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. 23. They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher. 24. They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah. 25. They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. 26. They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath. 27. They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah. 28. They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah. 29. They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah. 30. They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. 31. They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan. 32. They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad. 33. They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah. 34. They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah. 35. They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber. 36. They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 37. They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. 38. Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month. 39. Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor. 40. The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41. They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. 42. They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. 43. They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. 44. They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab. 45. They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad. 46. They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim. 47. They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48. They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 49. They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab. 50. Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51. Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, “When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52. then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. 53. You shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. 55. “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell. 56. It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.”

1. Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. 2. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5. For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” 6. But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down); 7. or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” 8. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart”; that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 9. that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” 12. 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. 13. For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? 15. And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” 16. But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17. So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18. But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” 19. But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry.” 20. Isaiah is very bold, and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.” 21. But as to Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” 1. I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2. God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: 3. “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.” 4. But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7. What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened. 8. According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.” 9. David says, “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them. 10. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always.” 11. I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 12. Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? 13. For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; 14. if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. 15. For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? 16. If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 17. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; 18. don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19. You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20. True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear; 21. for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23. They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24. For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25. For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 26. and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 27. This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.” 28. Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. 29. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30. For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, 31. even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. 32. For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. 33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! 34. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35. “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?” 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen. 1. Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3. For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 4. For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, 5. so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6. Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 7. or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 8. or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 10. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another; 11. not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13. contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 16. Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits. 17. Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 18. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 19. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21. Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1. My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer. 2. You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever. 3. Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty. 4. In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds. 5. Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies. 6. Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. 7. You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. 8. All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad. 9. Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir. 10. Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house. 11. So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord. 12. The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor. 13. The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. 14. She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you. 15. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king’s palace. 16. Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth. 17. I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.