31 When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down^(A) the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.

Contributions for Worship^(B)

² Hezekiah^(C) assigned the priests and Levites to divisions^(D)—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister,^(E) to give thanks and to sing praises^(F) at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling.^{(G) 3} The king contributed^(H) from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord.^{(I) 4} He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion^(J) due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. ⁵ As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits^(K) of their grain, new wine,^(L) olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. ⁶ The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe^(M) of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps.^{(N) 7} They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month.^{(O) 8} When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed^(P) his people Israel.

⁹ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; ¹⁰ and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok,^(Q) answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”^(R)

¹¹ Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. ¹² Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah,^(S) a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank. ¹³ Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad,^(T) Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.

¹⁴ Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the Lord and also the consecrated gifts. ¹⁵ Eden,^(U) Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns^(V) of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.

¹⁶ In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records^(W)—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. ¹⁷ And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. ¹⁸ They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.

¹⁹ As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns or in any other towns,^(X) men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.

²⁰ This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful^(Y) before the Lord his God. ²¹ In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.^(Z)

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem^(AA)(AB)

32 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib^(AC) king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. ² When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem,^{(AD) 3} he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. ⁴ They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs^(AE) and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings^[a] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. ⁵ Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall^(AF) and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces^[b](AG) of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons^(AH) and shields.

⁶ He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: ⁷ “Be strong and courageous.^(AI) Do not be afraid or discouraged^(AJ) because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.^{(AK) 8} With him is only the arm of flesh,^(AL) but with us^(AM) is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”^(AN) And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

⁹ Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish,^(AO) he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

¹⁶ Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷ The king also wrote letters^(AW) ridiculing^(AX) the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods^(AY) of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” ¹⁸ Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. ¹⁹ They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.^(AZ)

²⁰ King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer^(BA) to heaven about this. ²¹ And the Lord sent an angel,^(BB) who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.^(BC)

²² So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them^[c] on every side. ²³ Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts^(BD) for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death^(BE)

²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.^{(BF) 25} But Hezekiah’s heart was proud^(BG) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath^(BH) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶ Then Hezekiah repented^(BI) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.^(BJ)

²⁷ Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,^(BK) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. ²⁸ He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. ²⁹ He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.^(BL)

³⁰ It was Hezekiah who blocked^(BM) the upper outlet of the Gihon^(BN) spring and channeled^(BO) the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. ³¹ But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon^(BP) to ask him about the miraculous sign^(BQ) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test^(BR) him and to know everything that was in his heart.

³² The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ³³ Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples^(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.^{(B) 2} He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, ³ where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him^(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,^(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.^{(E) 4} He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus^(F) and Secundus from Thessalonica,^(G) Gaius^(H) from Derbe, Timothy^(I) also, and Tychicus^(J) and Trophimus^(K) from the province of Asia.^{(L) 5} These men went on ahead and waited for us^(M) at Troas.^{(N) 6} But we sailed from Philippi^(O) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,^(P) where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week^(Q) we came together to break bread.^(R) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upstairs room^(S) where we were meeting. ⁹ Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ Paul went down, threw himself on the young man^(T) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”^{(U) 11} Then he went upstairs again and broke bread^(V) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹² The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.^{(W) 16} Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus^(X) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,^(Y) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,^(Z) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.^(AA)