Defeat of Sihon and Og

²¹ Israel sent messengers^(A) to say to Sihon^(B) king of the Amorites:^(C)

²³ But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory.^(E) He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz,^(F) he fought with Israel.^{(G) 24} Israel, however, put him to the sword^(H) and took over his land^(I) from the Arnon to the Jabbok,^(J) but only as far as the Ammonites,^(K) because their border was fortified. ²⁵ Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites^(L) and occupied them,^(M) including Heshbon^(N) and all its surrounding settlements. ²⁶ Heshbon was the city of Sihon^(O) king of the Amorites,^(P) who had fought against the former king of Moab^(Q) and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.^(R)

²⁷ That is why the poets say:

³¹ So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.^(AC)

³² After Moses had sent spies^(AD) to Jazer,^(AE) the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. ³³ Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan^(AF),^(AG) and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.^(AH)

³⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.^(AI)”

³⁵ So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors.^(AJ) And they took possession of his land.^(AK)

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering^(B) in the temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had. ¹³ Lots^(C) were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

¹⁴ The lot for the East Gate^(D) fell to Shelemiah.^[a] Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah,^(E) a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. ¹⁵ The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom,^(F) and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. ¹⁶ The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah.

Guard was alongside of guard: ¹⁷ There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse. ¹⁸ As for the court^[b] to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court^[c] itself.

¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.^(G)

Daniel’s Training in Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim^(A) king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon^(C) came to Jerusalem and besieged it.^{(D) 2} And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried^(E) off to the temple of his god in Babylonia^[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.^(F)

³ Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility^(G)— ⁴ young men without any physical defect, handsome,^(H) showing aptitude for every kind of learning,^(I) well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language^(J) and literature of the Babylonians.^{[b] 5} The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine^(K) from the king’s table.^(L) They were to be trained for three years,^(M) and after that they were to enter the king’s service.^(N)

⁶ Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel,^(O) Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.^{(P) 7} The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar;^(Q) to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.^(R)

⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile^(S) himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favor^(T) and compassion^(U) to Daniel, ¹⁰ but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your^[c] food and drink.^(V) Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

¹¹ Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹² “Please test^(W) your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”^{(X) 14} So he agreed to this and tested^(Y) them for ten days.

¹⁵ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.^{(Z) 16} So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.^(AA)

¹⁷ To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding^(AB) of all kinds of literature and learning.^(AC) And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.^(AD)

¹⁸ At the end of the time^(AE) set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.^{(AF) 20} In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians^(AG) and enchanters in his whole kingdom.^(AH)

²¹ And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.^(AI)

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father,^(A) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[a](B) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^(C)

³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.^(D) They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”^(E)

³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him.^(F) They offered him wine vinegar^{(G) 37} and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,^(H) save yourself.”

³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.^(I)

³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”^(J)

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”^(K)

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[b]”^(L)

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”^(M)

Living to Please God

4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(A) we instructed you how to live^(B) in order to please God,^(C) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³ It is God’s will^(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^{(E) 4} that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](F) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust^(G) like the pagans,^(H) who do not know God;^{(I) 6} and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b](J) The Lord will punish^(K) all those who commit such sins,^(L) as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^{(M) 8} Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(N)

⁹ Now about your love for one another^(O) we do not need to write to you,^(P) for you yourselves have been taught by God^(Q) to love each other.^{(R) 10} And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(S) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^{(T) 11} and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,^(U) just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(V) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.