The Tower of Babel

11 Now the whole world had one language^(A) and a common speech. ² As people moved eastward,^[a] they found a plain in Shinar^[b](B) and settled there.

³ They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks^(C) and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone,^(D) and tar^(E) for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,^(F) so that we may make a name^(G) for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered^(H) over the face of the whole earth.”^(I)

⁵ But the Lord came down^(J) to see the city and the tower the people were building. ⁶ The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language^(K) they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us^(L) go down^(M) and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”^(N)

⁸ So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth,^(O) and they stopped building the city. ⁹ That is why it was called Babel^[c](P)—because there the Lord confused the language^(Q) of the whole world.^(R) From there the Lord scattered^(S) them over the face of the whole earth.

From Shem to Abram^(T)

¹⁰ This is the account^(U) of Shem’s family line.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father^[d] of Arphaxad.^{(V) 11} And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

¹² When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.^{(W) 13} And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.^[e]

¹⁴ When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.^{(X) 15} And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁶ When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg.^{(Y) 17} And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁸ When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu.^{(Z) 19} And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

²⁰ When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.^{(AA) 21} And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

²² When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.^{(AB) 23} And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

²⁴ When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah.^{(AC) 25} And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

²⁶ After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram,^(AD) Nahor^(AE) and Haran.^(AF)

Abram’s Family

²⁷ This is the account^(AG) of Terah’s family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor^(AH) and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.^{(AI) 28} While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans,^(AJ) in the land of his birth. ²⁹ Abram and Nahor^(AK) both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai,^(AL) and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah;^(AM) she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. ³⁰ Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.^(AN)

³¹ Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot^(AO) son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law^(AP) Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans^(AQ) to go to Canaan.^(AR) But when they came to Harran,^(AS) they settled there.

³² Terah^(AT) lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost^(A) came, they were all together^(B) in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^{(C) 3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(D) and began to speak in other tongues^[a](E) as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(F) Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed,^(G) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^{(H) 8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^(I) Pontus^(J) and Asia,^{[b](K) 10} Phrygia^(L) and Pamphylia,^(M) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(N) visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”^(O)

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^{(P) 16} No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(X) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(Y) which God did among you through him,^(Z) as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(AA) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{(AB) 24} But God raised him from the dead,^(AC) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{(AD) 25} David said about him:

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(AG) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(AH) David died and was buried,^(AI) and his tomb is here^(AJ) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(AK) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(AL) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(AM) and we are all witnesses^(AN) of it. ³³ Exalted^(AO) to the right hand of God,^(AP) he has received from the Father^(AQ) the promised Holy Spirit^(AR) and has poured out^(AS) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(AU) and Messiah.”^(AV)

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(AW)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(AX) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(AY) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(AZ) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(BA) and for all who are far off^(BB)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(BC) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(BD) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(BE) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(BF) and to prayer.^{(BG) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(BH) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(BI) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(BJ) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(BK) They broke bread^(BL) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(BM) And the Lord added to their number^(BN) daily those who were being saved.

144,000 Sealed

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners^(A) of the earth, holding back the four winds^(B) of the earth to prevent^(C) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal^(D) of the living God.^(E) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:^{(F) 3} “Do not harm^(G) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads^(H) of the servants of our God.” ⁴ Then I heard the number^(I) of those who were sealed: 144,000^(J) from all the tribes of Israel.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,^(K) standing before the throne^(L) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes^(M) and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders^(P) and the four living creatures.^(Q) They fell down on their faces^(R) before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes^(T)—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes^(U) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.^{(V) 15} Therefore,

That Which Defiles^(A)

7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled,^(B) that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.^{(C) 4} When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.^[a])^(D)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders^(E) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”^(G)

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe^[c] your own traditions!^{(H) 10} For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’^[d](I) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’^{[e](J) 11} But you say^(K) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God^(L) by your tradition^(M) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16] [f]

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him^(N) about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods^(O) clean.)^(P)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed,^(Q) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith^(R)

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.^[g](S) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit^(T) came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man^(U)

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre^(V) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee^(W) and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[h](X) 32} There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,^(Y) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on^(Z) him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit^(AA) and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven^(AB) and with a deep sigh^(AC) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.^(AD)

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.^(AE) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”