Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,^(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality^(B) with Moabite^(C) women,^{(D) 2} who invited them to the sacrifices^(E) to their gods.^(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. ³ So Israel yoked themselves to^(G) the Baal of Peor.^(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders^(I) of these people, kill them and expose^(J) them in broad daylight before the Lord,^(K) so that the Lord’s fierce anger^(L) may turn away from Israel.”

⁵ So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death^(M) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”^(N)

⁶ Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite^(O) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping^(P) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁷ When Phinehas^(Q) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear^(R) in his hand ⁸ and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;^{(S) 9} but those who died in the plague^(T) numbered 24,000.^(U)

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.^(V) Since he was as zealous for my honor^(W) among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. ¹² Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace^(X) with him. ¹³ He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,^(Y) because he was zealous^(Z) for the honor^(AA) of his God and made atonement^(AB) for the Israelites.”^(AC)

¹⁴ The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman^(AD) was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.^{(AE) 15} And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi^(AF) daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.^(AG)

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses,^{(AH) 17} “Treat the Midianites^(AI) as enemies^(AJ) and kill them.^{(AK) 18} They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident^(AL) involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.”

Preparations for Building the Temple^(A)

2 ^[a]Solomon gave orders to build a temple^(B) for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.^{(C) 2} He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.^(D)

³ Solomon sent this message to Hiram^[b](E) king of Tyre:

¹¹ Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:

¹² And Hiram added:

¹⁷ Solomon took a census of all the foreigners^(AA) residing in Israel, after the census^(AB) his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. ¹⁸ He assigned^(AC) 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.

Introduction^(A)

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first^(B) were eyewitnesses^(C) and servants of the word.^{(D) 3} With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account^(E) for you, most excellent^(F) Theophilus,^{(G) 4} so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.^(H)

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea^(I) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;^(J) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.^{(K) 7} But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^(L)

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from^(B) every believer who is idle and disruptive^(C) and does not live according to the teaching^[a] you received from us.^{(D) 7} For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.^(E) We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked^(F) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,^(G) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.^{(H) 10} For even when we were with you,^(I) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work^(J) shall not eat.”

¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.^{(K) 12} Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ^(L) to settle down and earn the food they eat.^{(M) 13} And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.^(N)

¹⁴ Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,^(O) in order that they may feel ashamed.^{(P) 15} Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.^(Q)

Final Greetings

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace^(R) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.^(S)

¹⁷ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,^(T) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.^(U)