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Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,

“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I give to them, even to the children of Israel.

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.

Be strong and of a good courage, for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I swore unto their fathers to give them.

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

11 “Pass through the host and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare you victuals, for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.’”

12 And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to half the tribe of Manasseh spoke Joshua, saying,

13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God hath given you rest and hath given you this land.’

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them

15 until the Lord shall have given your brethren rest, as He hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them. Then ye shall return unto the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’S servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrising.”

16 And they answered Joshua, saying, “All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go.

17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee; only the Lord thy God be with thee, as He was with Moses.

18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death. Only be strong and of a good courage.”

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, even Jericho.” And they went and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country.”

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, “Bring forth the men who have come to thee, who have entered into thine house, for they have come to search out all the country.”

And the woman took the two men and hid them, and said thus, “There came men unto me, but I knew not from whence they came.

And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Whither the men went I know not. Pursue after them quickly, for ye shall overtake them.”

But she had brought them up to the roof of the house and hid them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order upon the roof.

And the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan unto the fords; and as soon as those who pursued after them had gone out, they shut the gate.

And before they lay down, she came up unto them upon the roof,

and she said unto the men, “I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when ye came out of Egypt, and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token,

13 and that ye will save alive my father and my mother, and my brethren and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”

14 And the men answered her, “Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.”

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

16 And she said unto them, “Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days until the pursuers have returned, and afterward may ye go your way.”

17 And the men said unto her, “We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by; and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household home unto thee.

19 And it shall be that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless; and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand be upon him.

20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be free of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.”

21 And she said, “According unto your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed; and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

22 And they went and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days until the pursuers had returned; and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.

23 So the two men returned and descended from the mountain, and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them.

24 And they said unto Joshua, “Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land, for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.”

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

And it came to pass after three days that the officers went through the host,

and they commanded the people, saying, “When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place and go after it.

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go, for ye have not passed this way heretofore.”

And Joshua said unto the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

And Joshua spoke unto the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.” And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, “This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

And thou shalt command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When ye have come to the brink of the water of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.’”

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, “Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.”

10 And Joshua said, “Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan.

12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand up in a heap.”

14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,

15 and as those who bore the ark had come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark were dipped in the brim of the water (for the Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest),

16 that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan. And those who came down toward the sea of the plain, even the Salt Sea, failed and were cut off; and the people passed over right against Jericho.

17 And the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people had passed clean over the Jordan.

Joshua Installed as Leader

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,(A) the Lord said to Joshua(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River(C) into the land(D) I am about to give to them(E)—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot,(F) as I promised Moses.(G) Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates(I)—all the Hittite(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.(K) No one will be able to stand against you(L) all the days of your life. As I was with(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake(N) you. Be strong(O) and courageous,(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors(Q) to give them.

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey(R) all the law(S) my servant Moses(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.(V) Keep this Book of the Law(W) always on your lips;(X) meditate(Y) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.(Z) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;(AA) do not be discouraged,(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(AC)

10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:(AD) 11 “Go through the camp(AE) and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions(AF) ready. Three days(AG) from now you will cross the Jordan(AH) here to go in and take possession(AI) of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,(AJ) Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest(AK) by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives,(AL) your children and your livestock may stay in the land(AM) that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle,(AN) must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites.(AO) You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”(AP)

16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.(AQ) 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.(AR) Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey(AS) it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!(AT)

Rahab and the Spies

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies(AU) from Shittim.(AV) “Go, look over(AW) the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.(AX)” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab(AY) and stayed there.

The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:(AZ) “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

But the woman had taken the two men(BA) and hidden them.(BB) She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate,(BC) they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”(BD) (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax(BE) she had laid out on the roof.)(BF) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,(BG) and as soon as the pursuers(BH) had gone out, the gate was shut.

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof(BI) and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear(BJ) of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up(BK) the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,(BL) and what you did to Sihon and Og,(BM) the two kings of the Amorites(BN) east of the Jordan,(BO) whom you completely destroyed.[b](BP) 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear(BQ) and everyone’s courage failed(BR) because of you,(BS) for the Lord your God(BT) is God in heaven above and on the earth(BU) below.

12 “Now then, please swear to me(BV) by the Lord that you will show kindness(BW) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign(BX) 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them(BY)—and that you will save us from death.”

14 “Our lives for your lives!”(BZ) the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully(CA) when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 So she let them down by a rope(CB) through the window,(CC) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills(CD) so the pursuers(CE) will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days(CF) until they return, and then go on your way.”(CG)

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath(CH) you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord(CI) in the window(CJ) through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family(CK) into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;(CL) we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head(CM) if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.(CN)

21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord(CO) in the window.(CP)

22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days,(CQ) until the pursuers(CR) had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands;(CS) all the people are melting in fear(CT) because of us.”

Crossing the Jordan

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim(CU) and went to the Jordan,(CV) where they camped before crossing over. After three days(CW) the officers(CX) went throughout the camp,(CY) giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant(CZ) of the Lord your God, and the Levitical(DA) priests(DB) carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[c](DC) between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves,(DD) for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things(DE) among you.”

Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you(DF) in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.(DG) Tell the priests(DH) who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God(DI) is among you(DJ) and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,(DK) Hivites, Perizzites,(DL) Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.(DM) 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth(DN) will go into the Jordan ahead of you.(DO) 12 Now then, choose twelve men(DP) from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth(DQ)—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream(DR) will be cut off(DS) and stand up in a heap.(DT)

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(DU) went ahead(DV) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(DW) is at flood stage(DX) all during harvest.(DY) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(DZ) It piled up in a heap(EA) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(EB) while the water flowing down(EC) to the Sea of the Arabah(ED) (that is, the Dead Sea(EE)) was completely cut off.(EF) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(EG) 17 The priests(EH) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(EI) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(EJ)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 2:10 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Joshua 2:10 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  3. Joshua 3:4 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters

16 And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.

And very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun.

And they said among themselves, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?”

And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away, for it was very large.

And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened.

And he said unto them, “Be not afraid. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him.

But go your way. Tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see Him, as He said unto you.”

And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulcher, for they trembled and were amazed; neither said they any thing to any man, for they were afraid.

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.

11 And they, when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, believed not.

12 After that, He appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country.

13 And they went and told it unto the rest, but neither did they believe them.

14 Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat; and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who had seen Him after He was risen.

15 And He said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.

20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen.

Jesus Has Risen(A)

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices(B) so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”(C)

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe(D) sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,(E) who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,(F) just as he told you.’”(G)

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.[a]


[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,(H) out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.(I)

12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.(J) 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.(K)

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.(L) 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.(M) 17 And these signs(N) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;(O) they will speak in new tongues;(P) 18 they will pick up snakes(Q) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on(R) sick people, and they will get well.”

19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven(S) and he sat at the right hand of God.(T) 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs(U) that accompanied it.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 16:8 Some manuscripts have the following ending between verses 8 and 9, and one manuscript has it after verse 8 (omitting verses 9-20): Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen.