Cities of Refuge^(A)

⁴¹ Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, ⁴² to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally^(B) killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. ⁴³ The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth^(C) in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

Introduction to the Law

⁴⁴ This is the law Moses set before the Israelites. ⁴⁵ These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt ⁴⁶ and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon^(D) king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt. ⁴⁷ They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. ⁴⁸ This land extended from Aroer^(E) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Sirion^[a](F) (that is, Hermon^(G)), ⁴⁹ and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Dead Sea,^[b] below the slopes of Pisgah.

Manasseh King of Judah^(A)(B)

33 Manasseh^(C) was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. ² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,^(D) following the detestable^(E) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ³ He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.^(F) He bowed down^(G) to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. ⁴ He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name^(H) will remain in Jerusalem forever.” ⁵ In both courts of the temple of the Lord,^(I) he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ He sacrificed his children^(J) in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums^(K) and spiritists.^(L) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

⁷ He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple,^(M) of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. ⁸ I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land^(N) I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” ⁹ But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.^(O)

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner,^(P) put a hook^(Q) in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles^(R) and took him to Babylon. ¹² In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled^(S) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

¹⁴ Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon^(T) spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate^(U) and encircling the hill of Ophel;^(V) he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.

¹⁵ He got rid of the foreign gods and removed^(W) the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. ¹⁶ Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings^(X) on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁷ The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

¹⁸ The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.^{[a] 19} His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled^(Y) himself—all these are written in the records of the seers.^{[b](Z) 20} Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried^(AA) in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah^(AB)

²¹ Amon^(AC) was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. ²² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. ²³ But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble^(AD) himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

²⁴ Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. ²⁵ Then the people^(AE) of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

Witnesses Summoned Against Israel

3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you^(A)—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:^(B)

¹¹ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹² This is what the Lord says:

¹³ “Hear this and testify^(Y) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(A) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(B)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(D) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(E) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(F) you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(G) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[a]”^(I)

¹⁷ The elders^(A) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,^(B) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a](C) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^{[b](D) 19} Do not entertain an accusation against an elder^(E) unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.^{(F) 20} But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove^(G) before everyone, so that the others may take warning.^{(H) 21} I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus^(I) and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

²² Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,^(J) and do not share in the sins of others.^(K) Keep yourself pure.^(L)

²³ Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine^(M) because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴ The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵ In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,^(N) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.^{(O) 2} Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.^(P) Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare^[c] of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.^{(Q) 3} If anyone teaches otherwise^(R) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(S) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(T) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(U) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(V) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(W) is great gain.^{(X) 7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.^{(Y) 8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.^{(Z) 9} Those who want to get rich^(AA) fall into temptation and a trap^(AB) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(AC) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(AD) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(AE)