2 Chronicles 6:32-7:10

New International Version

³²“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come^(A) from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand^(B) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, ³³then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner^(C) asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

³⁴“When your people go to war against their enemies,^(D) wherever you send them, and when they pray^(E) to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, ³⁵then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

³⁶“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin^(F)—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive^(G) to a land far away or near; ³⁷and if they have a change of heart^(H) in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; ³⁸and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; ³⁹then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive^(I) your people, who have sinned against you.

⁴⁰“Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive^(J) to the prayers offered in this place.

⁴¹“Now arise,^(K) Lord God, and come to your resting place,^(L)
    you and the ark of your might.
May your priests,^(M) Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
    may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.^(N)
⁴²Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.^(O)
    Remember the great love^(P) promised to David your servant.”

The Dedication of the Temple^(Q)

7 When Solomon finished praying, fire^(R) came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled^(S) the temple.^(T) ²The priests could not enter^(U) the temple of the Lord because the glory^(V) of the Lord filled it. ³When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,

“He is good;
his love endures forever.”^(W)

⁴Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. ⁵And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. ⁶The priests took their positions, as did the Levites^(X) with the Lord’s musical instruments,^(Y) which King David had made for praising the Lord and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, “His love endures forever.” Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.

⁷Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat^(Z) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.

⁸So Solomon observed the festival^(AA) at that time for seven days, and all Israel^(AB) with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath^(AC) to the Wadi of Egypt.^(AD) ⁹On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated^(AE) the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival^(AF) for seven days more. ¹⁰On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.

Psalm 83:1-8

New International Version

Psalm 83^[a]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

¹O God, do not remain silent;^(A)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
²See how your enemies growl,^(B)
    how your foes rear their heads.^(C)
³With cunning they conspire^(D) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.^(E)
⁴“Come,” they say, “let us destroy^(F) them as a nation,^(G)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered^(H) no more.”

⁵With one mind they plot together;^(I)
    they form an alliance against you—
⁶the tents of Edom^(J) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab^(K) and the Hagrites,^(L)
⁷Byblos,^(M) Ammon^(N) and Amalek,^(O)
    Philistia,^(P) with the people of Tyre.^(Q)
⁸Even Assyria^(R) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.^[b]^(S)

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Footnotes

Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Acts 18:18-28

New International Version

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(A) and sailed for Syria,^(B) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(C) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(D) because of a vow he had taken.^(E) ¹⁹They arrived at Ephesus,^(F) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”^(G) Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²²When he landed at Caesarea,^(H) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(I)

²³After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(J) and Phrygia,^(K) strengthening all the disciples.^(L)

²⁴Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(M) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(N) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a]^(O) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^(P) ²⁶He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(Q) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(R) the brothers and sisters^(S) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(T) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(U)