Solomon Builds His Palace

7 Solomon was ^(A)building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

² He built ^(B)the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits^[a] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four^[b] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. ³ And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. ⁴ There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. ⁵ All the doorways and windows^[c] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

⁶ And he made ^(C)the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and ^(D)a canopy in front of them.

⁷ And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. ^(E)It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.^[d]

⁸ His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court at the back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter ^(F)whom he had taken in marriage.

⁹ All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. ¹⁰ The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. ¹¹ And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. ^12 (G)The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and ^(H)the vestibule of the house.

The Temple Furnishings

¹³ And King Solomon sent and brought ^(I)Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴ He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And ^(J)he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

^15 (K)He cast ^(L)two pillars of bronze. ^(M)Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.^{[e] 16} He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and ^(N)the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷ There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice^[f] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. ¹⁸ Likewise he made pomegranates^[g] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. ¹⁹ Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. ²⁰ The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were ^(O)two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. ^21 (P)He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. ²² And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

^23 (Q)Then he made ^(R)the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. ²⁴ Under its brim were ^(S)gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. ²⁵ It stood on ^(T)twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. ²⁶ Its thickness was a handbreadth,^[h] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.^[i]

²⁷ He also made the ^(U)ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. ²⁸ This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, ²⁹ and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. ³⁰ Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. ³¹ Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. ³² And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. ³³ The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. ³⁴ There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. ³⁵ And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. ³⁶ And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. ³⁷ After this manner he made ^(V)the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

³⁸ And he made ^(W)ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. ³⁹ And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

^40 (X)Hiram also made ^(Y)the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: ⁴¹ the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two ^(Z)latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; ⁴² and the ^(AA)four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; ⁴³ the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; ⁴⁴ and ^(AB)the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

⁴⁵ Now ^(AC)the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. ⁴⁶ In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between ^(AD)Succoth and ^(AE)Zarethan. ⁴⁷ And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; ^(AF)the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

⁴⁸ So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: ^(AG)the golden altar, ^(AH)the golden table for ^(AI)the bread of the Presence, ^49 (AJ)the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; ^(AK)the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; ⁵⁰ the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and ^(AL)fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, ^(AM)the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

⁵¹ Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in ^(AN)the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

With God We Shall Do Valiantly

A Song. A Psalm of David.

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and ^(C)are faithful^[a] in Christ Jesus:

^2 (D)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

^3 (E)Blessed be ^(F)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing ^(G)in the heavenly places, ^4 (H)even as he ^(I)chose us in him ^(J)before the foundation of the world, that we should be ^(K)holy and blameless before him. In love ^5 (L)he predestined us^[b] for ^(M)adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, ^(N)according to the purpose of his will, ^6 (O)to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in ^(P)the Beloved. ^7 (Q)In him we have ^(R)redemption ^(S)through his blood, ^(T)the forgiveness of our trespasses, ^(U)according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ^9 (V)making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will, ^(W)according to his purpose, which he ^(X)set forth in Christ^{[d] 10} as a plan for ^(Y)the fullness of time, ^(Z)to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹ In him we have obtained ^(AA)an inheritance, ^(AB)having been predestined ^(AC)according to the purpose of him who works all things according to ^(AD)the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be ^(AE)to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard ^(AF)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, ^(AG)were sealed with the ^(AH)promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is ^(AI)the guarantee^[e] of our ^(AJ)inheritance until ^(AK)we acquire ^(AL)possession of it,^{[f] (AM)}to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ^(AN)because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[g] toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I ^(AO)do not cease to give thanks for you, ^(AP)remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that ^(AQ)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, ^(AR)may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ^18 (AS)having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is ^(AT)the hope to which he has called you, what are ^(AU)the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, ^(AV)according to the working of ^(AW)his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ ^(AX)when he raised him from the dead and ^(AY)seated him at his right hand ^(AZ)in the heavenly places, ^21 (BA)far above ^(BB)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above ^(BC)every name that is named, not only in ^(BD)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And ^(BE)he put all things under his feet and gave him as ^(BF)head over all things to the church, ^23 (BG)which is his body, ^(BH)the fullness of him ^(BI)who fills ^(BJ)all in all.

By Grace Through Faith

2 ^(BK)And you were ^(BL)dead in the trespasses and sins ^2 (BM)in which you once walked, following the course^[h] of this world, following ^(BN)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in ^(BO)the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in ^(BP)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and ^(BQ)were by nature ^(BR)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^{[i] 4} But^[j] God, being ^(BS)rich in mercy, ^(BT)because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even ^(BU)when we were dead in our trespasses, ^(BV)made us alive together with Christ—^(BW)by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and ^(BX)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ^(BY)riches of his grace in ^(BZ)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For ^(CA)by grace you have been saved ^(CB)through faith. And this is ^(CC)not your own doing; ^(CD)it is the gift of God, ^9 (CE)not a result of works, ^(CF)so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For ^(CG)we are his workmanship, ^(CH)created in Christ Jesus ^(CI)for good works, ^(CJ)which God prepared beforehand, ^(CK)that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called ^(CL)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(CM)that you were at that time separated from Christ, ^(CN)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(CO)the covenants of promise, ^(CP)having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(CQ)far off have been brought near ^(CR)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(CS)he himself is our peace, ^(CT)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(CU)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(CV)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(CW)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(CX)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(CY)preached peace to you who were ^(CZ)far off and peace to those who were ^(DA)near. ¹⁸ For ^(DB)through him we both have ^(DC)access in ^(DD)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(DE)strangers and aliens,^[k] but you are ^(DF)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(DG)members of the household of God, ^20 (DH)built on the foundation of the ^(DI)apostles and prophets, ^(DJ)Christ Jesus himself being ^(DK)the cornerstone, ^21 (DL)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(DM)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(DN)you also are being built together ^(DO)into a dwelling place for God by^[l] the Spirit.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(DP)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(DQ)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(DR)the stewardship of ^(DS)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (DT)how the mystery was made known to me ^(DU)by revelation, ^(DV)as I have written briefly. ^4 (DW)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(DX)the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[m] that the Gentiles are ^(DY)fellow heirs, ^(DZ)members of the same body, and ^(EA)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (EB)Of this gospel I was made ^(EC)a minister according to the gift of ^(ED)God's grace, which was given me ^(EE)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(EF)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(EG)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(EH)unsearchable ^(EI)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(EJ)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(EK)hidden for ages in^[n] God, ^(EL)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(EM)wisdom of God ^(EN)might now be made known to ^(EO)the rulers and authorities ^(EP)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(EQ)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(ER)boldness and ^(ES)access with ^(ET)confidence through our ^(EU)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(EV)for you, ^(EW)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(EX)every family^[o] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(EY)the riches of his glory ^(EZ)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(FA)in your inner being, ^17 (FB)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(FC)rooted and ^(FD)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(FE)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(FF)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(FG)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(FH)you may be filled with all ^(FI)the fullness of God.

^20 (FJ)Now to ^(FK)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(FL)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (FM)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.