16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against TheIAM (Yahweh) your God (Elohim) , and against you. 17Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to TheIAM (Yahweh) your God (Elohim) , that he may also take away from me this death." 18He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to TheIAM (Yahweh) . 19TheIAM (Yahweh) turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt. 20But TheIAM (Yahweh) hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go. 21TheIAM (Yahweh) said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt." 22Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve TheIAM (Yahweh) . Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you." 25Moses said, "You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to TheIAM (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) . 26Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve TheIAM (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) ; and we don't know with what we must serve TheIAM (Yahweh) , until we come there." 27But TheIAM (Yahweh) hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he wouldn't let them go. 28Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!" 29Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more."
1TheIAM (Yahweh) said to Moses, "Yet one plague more will I bring on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether. 2Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold." 3TheIAM (Yahweh) gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.
29For you are my lamp, TheIAM (Yahweh) . TheIAM (Yahweh) will light up my darkness. 30For by you, I run against a troop. By my God (Elohim) , I leap over a wall. 31As for God (El) , his way is perfect. The word of TheIAM (Yahweh) is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. 32For who is God (El) , besides TheIAM (Yahweh) ? Who is a rock, besides our God (Elohim) ? 33God (El) is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect. 34He makes his feet like hinds' [feet], and sets me on my high places. 35He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass. 36You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great. 37You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped. 38I have pursued (Radaph) my enemies and destroyed them. I didn't turn again until they were consumed. 39I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can't arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet. 40For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 41You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me. 42They looked, but there was none to save; even to TheIAM (Yahweh) , but he didn't answer them. 43Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad. 44You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. 45The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me. 46The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places. 47TheIAM (Yahweh) lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God (Elohim) , the rock of my salvation, 48even the God (El) who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me, 49who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. 50Therefore I will give thanks to you, TheIAM (Yahweh) , among the nations. Will sing praises to your name. 51He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore."
1Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God (Elohim) of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2"The Spirit of TheIAM (Yahweh) spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. 3The God (Elohim) of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God (Elohim) , 4shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.' 5Most certainly my house is not so with God (El) , yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all [my] desire, although he doesn't make it grow. 6But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't be taken with the hand, 7But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place." 8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. 9After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. 10He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and TheIAM (Yahweh) worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.
10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of TheIAM (Yahweh) , they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise TheIAM (Yahweh) , after the order of David king of Israel. 11They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to TheIAM (Yahweh) , "For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel." All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised TheIAM (Yahweh) , because the foundation of the house of TheIAM (Yahweh) was laid. 12But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' [houses], the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to TheIAM (Yahweh) , the God (Elohim) of Israel; 2then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, "Let us build with you; for we seek your God (Elohim) , as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here." 3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' [houses] of Israel, said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God (Elohim) ; but we ourselves together will build to TheIAM (Yahweh) , the God (Elohim) of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us." 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian [character], and set forth in the Syrian [language].
1Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4"I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6"Aren't five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God. 7But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 8"I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God; 9but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. 10Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don't be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say." 13One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" 15He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses." 16He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. 17He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?' 18He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry."' 20"But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared - whose will they be?' 21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 22He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they don't sow, they don't reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! 25Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? 26If then you aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? 29Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. 30For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. 32Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. 33Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don't grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn't fail, where no thief approaches, nor moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35"Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning. 36Be like men watching for their master (Kurios) , when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. 37Blessed are those servants, whom the master (Kurios) will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them. 38They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so. 39But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don't expect him." 41Peter said to him, "Lord (Kurios) , are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?" 42The Lord (Kurios) said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master (Kurios) will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master (Kurios) will find doing so when he comes. 44Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has. 45But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master (Kurios) delays his coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken, 46then the master (Kurios) of that servant will come in a day when he isn't expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn't know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful. 47That servant, who knew his master (Kurios) 's will, and didn't prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, 48but he who didn't know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked. 49"I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled. 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. 52For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." 54He said to the multitudes also, "When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it happens. 55When a south wind blows, you say, 'There will be a scorching heat,' and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time? 57Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny."
