The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(A)

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(B)

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”^(C)

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(D) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(E) Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!^{(F) 25} Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”^(G)

²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”^(H)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come^(I) eternal life.”^(J)

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,^(A) and in view of his appearing^(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:^{(C) 2} Preach^(D) the word;^(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^(F) and encourage^(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{(I) 4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^{(J) 5} But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,^(K) do the work of an evangelist,^(L) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,^(M) and the time for my departure is near.^{(N) 7} I have fought the good fight,^(O) I have finished the race,^(P) I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me^(Q) the crown of righteousness,^(R) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day^(S)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.^(T)

Personal Remarks

⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly,^{(U) 10} for Demas,^(V) because he loved this world,^(W) has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.^(X) Crescens has gone to Galatia,^(Y) and Titus^(Z) to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke^(AA) is with me.^(AB) Get Mark^(AC) and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. ¹² I sent Tychicus^(AD) to Ephesus.^{(AE) 13} When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas,^(AF) and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Alexander^(AG) the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.^{(AH) 15} You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.^{(AI) 17} But the Lord stood at my side^(AJ) and gave me strength,^(AK) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(AL) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^{(AM) 18} The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack^(AN) and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.^(AO) To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(AP)

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet Priscilla^[a] and Aquila^(AQ) and the household of Onesiphorus.^{(AR) 20} Erastus^(AS) stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus^(AT) sick in Miletus.^{(AU) 21} Do your best to get here before winter.^(AV) Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.^[b]

²² The Lord be with your spirit.^(AW) Grace be with you all.^(AX)

The New Residents of Jerusalem^(A)

11 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem,^(B) the holy city,^(C) while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.^{(D) 2} The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

³ These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,^{(E) 4} while other people from both Judah and Benjamin^(F) lived in Jerusalem):^(G)

From the descendants of Judah:

⁷ From the descendants of Benjamin:

¹⁰ From the priests:

¹⁵ From the Levites:

¹⁹ The gatekeepers:

²⁰ The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.

²¹ The temple servants^(P) lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

²² The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,^(Q) the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. ²³ The musicians^(R) were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.

²⁴ Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah^(S) son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.

²⁵ As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba^(T) and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon^(U) and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, ²⁶ in Jeshua, in Moladah,^(V) in Beth Pelet,^{(W) 27} in Hazar Shual,^(X) in Beersheba^(Y) and its settlements, ²⁸ in Ziklag,^(Z) in Mekonah and its settlements, ²⁹ in En Rimmon, in Zorah,^(AA) in Jarmuth,^{(AB) 30} Zanoah,^(AC) Adullam^(AD) and their villages, in Lachish^(AE) and its fields, and in Azekah^(AF) and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba^(AG) to the Valley of Hinnom.

³¹ The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba^(AH) lived in Mikmash,^(AI) Aija, Bethel^(AJ) and its settlements, ³² in Anathoth,^(AK) Nob^(AL) and Ananiah, ³³ in Hazor,^(AM) Ramah^(AN) and Gittaim,^{(AO) 34} in Hadid, Zeboim^(AP) and Neballat, ³⁵ in Lod and Ono,^(AQ) and in Ge Harashim.

³⁶ Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.