Hope for the Mountains of Israel

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel^(A) and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. ² This is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(B) The enemy said of you, “Aha!^(C) The ancient heights^(D) have become our possession.^(E)”’ ³ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged^(F) and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander,^{(G) 4} therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys,^(H) to the desolate ruins^(I) and the deserted^(J) towns that have been plundered and ridiculed^(K) by the rest of the nations around you^(L)— ⁵ this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning^(M) zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’^{(N) 6} Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.^{(O) 7} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand^(P) that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.^(Q)

⁸ “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit^(R) for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown,^{(S) 10} and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins^(T) rebuilt.^{(U) 11} I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful^(V) and become numerous. I will settle people^(W) on you as in the past^(X) and will make you prosper more than before.^(Y) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹² I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance;^(Z) you will never again deprive them of their children.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people^(AA) and deprive your nation of its children,” ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁵ No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)’”

Israel’s Restoration Assured

¹⁶ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁷ “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness^(AC) in my sight.^{(AD) 18} So I poured out^(AE) my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. ¹⁹ I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered^(AF) through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.^{(AG) 20} And wherever they went among the nations they profaned^(AH) my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’^{(AI) 21} I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.^(AJ)

²² “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name,^(AK) which you have profaned^(AL) among the nations where you have gone.^{(AM) 23} I will show the holiness of my great name,^(AN) which has been profaned^(AO) among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,^(AP) declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy^(AQ) through you before their eyes.^(AR)

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.^{(AS) 25} I will sprinkle^(AT) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse^(AU) you from all your impurities^(AV) and from all your idols.^{(AW) 26} I will give you a new heart^(AX) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone^(AY) and give you a heart of flesh.^{(AZ) 27} And I will put my Spirit^(BA) in you and move you to follow my decrees^(BB) and be careful to keep my laws.^{(BC) 28} Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,^(BD) and I will be your God.^{(BE) 29} I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine^(BF) upon you. ³⁰ I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.^{(BG) 31} Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.^{(BH) 32} I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed^(BI) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!^(BJ)

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse^(BK) you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins^(BL) will be rebuilt.^{(BM) 34} The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. ³⁵ They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden;^(BN) the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.^(BO)” ³⁶ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’^(BP)

³⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea^(BQ) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,^{(BR) 38} as numerous as the flocks for offerings^(BS) at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(BT)”

ג Gimel

On to Jerusalem

21 After we^(A) had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. ² We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,^(B) went on board and set sail. ³ After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.^(C) We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ We sought out the disciples^(D) there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit^(E) they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. ⁵ When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.^{(F) 6} After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

⁷ We continued our voyage from Tyre^(G) and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters^(H) and stayed with them for a day. ⁸ Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea^(I) and stayed at the house of Philip^(J) the evangelist,^(K) one of the Seven. ⁹ He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.^(L)

¹⁰ After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus^(M) came down from Judea. ¹¹ Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says,^(N) ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind^(O) the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”^(P)

¹² When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die^(Q) in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”^{(R) 14} When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up^(S) and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”^(T)

¹⁵ After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.^{(U) 16} Some of the disciples from Caesarea^(V) accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus^(W) and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

¹⁷ When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters^(X) received us warmly.^{(Y) 18} The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,^(Z) and all the elders^(AA) were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles^(AB) through his ministry.^(AC)

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous^(AD) for the law.^{(AE) 21} They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,^(AF) telling them not to circumcise their children^(AG) or live according to our customs.^{(AH) 22} What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ²³ so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.^{(AI) 24} Take these men, join in their purification rites^(AJ) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.^(AK) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”^(AL)

²⁶ The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.^(AM)

Paul Arrested

²⁷ When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,^{(AN) 28} shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”^{(AO) 29} (They had previously seen Trophimus^(AP) the Ephesian^(AQ) in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

³⁰ The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,^(AR) they dragged him^(AS) from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. ³¹ While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. ³² He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.^(AT)

³³ The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound^(AU) with two^(AV) chains.^(AW) Then he asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,^(AX) and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.^{(AY) 35} When Paul reached the steps,^(AZ) the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. ³⁶ The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”^(BA)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd^(BB)

³⁷ As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,^(BC) he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. ³⁸ “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness^(BD) some time ago?”^(BE)

³⁹ Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus^(BF) in Cilicia,^(BG) a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

⁴⁰ After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned^(BH) to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic^[a]:^(BI)