The Ten Commandments^(A)

5 Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws^(B) I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. ² The Lord our God made a covenant^(C) with us at Horeb.^{(D) 3} It was not with our ancestors^[a] that the Lord made this covenant, but with us,^(E) with all of us who are alive here today.^{(F) 4} The Lord spoke^(G) to you face to face^(H) out of the fire^(I) on the mountain. ⁵ (At that time I stood between^(J) the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid^(K) of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

Josiah’s Reforms^(A)(B)(C)

34 Josiah^(D) was eight years old when he became king,^(E) and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David,^(F) not turning aside to the right or to the left.

³ In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God^(G) of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols. ⁴ Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles^(H) and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.^{(I) 5} He burned^(J) the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶ In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, ⁷ he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder^(K) and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

⁸ In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

⁹ They went to Hilkiah^(L) the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. ¹¹ They also gave money^(M) to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.^(N)

¹² The workers labored faithfully.^(O) Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—^{(P) 13} had charge of the laborers^(Q) and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.

The Book of the Law Found^(R)(S)

¹⁴ While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. ¹⁵ Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law^(T) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

¹⁶ Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. ¹⁷ They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” ¹⁸ Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

¹⁹ When the king heard the words of the Law,^(U) he tore^(V) his robes. ²⁰ He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan^(W), Abdon son of Micah,^[a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: ²¹ “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out^(X) on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

Israel Has Not Returned to God

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(A) said Jesus, “then you would^[a] do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^(B) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^(C) Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your own father.”^(D)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”^(E)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(F) for I have come here from God.^(G) I have not come on my own;^(H) God sent me.^{(I) 43} Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil,^(J) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(K) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^{(L) 45} Yet because I tell the truth,^(M) you do not believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(N) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(O) and demon-possessed?”^(P)

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God,^(A) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,^(B) faith, love,^(C) endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight^(D) of the faith. Take hold of^(E) the eternal life^(F) to which you were called when you made your good confession^(G) in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate^(H) made the good confession,^(I) I charge you^{(J) 14} to keep this command without spot or blame^(K) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(L) 15} which God will bring about in his own time^(M)—God, the blessed^(N) and only Ruler,^(O) the King of kings and Lord of lords,^{(P) 16} who alone is immortal^(Q) and who lives in unapproachable light,^(R) whom no one has seen or can see.^(S) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.^(T)

¹⁷ Command those who are rich^(U) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,^(V) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,^(W) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^{(X) 18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(Y) and to be generous and willing to share.^{(Z) 19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves^(AA) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of^(AB) the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted^(AC) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter^(AD) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.^(AE)

Grace be with you all.^(AF)