⁹ Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers^(A) had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

¹⁶ Those from every tribe of Israel^(A) who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(A) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(B)

⁹ “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,^(A) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.^(B) But God was with him^{(C) 10} and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.^(D)

²¹ and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat^(A) the Lord and seek^(B) the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ ²² And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”^(C)

²³ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”^(D)