20 In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.’”

² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying, ³ “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, ⁵ “Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day, you will go up to Yahweh’s house. ⁶ I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”’”

⁷ Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.”

They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. ⁸ Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh’s house the third day?”

⁹ Isaiah said, “This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”

¹⁰ Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”

¹¹ Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.

¹² At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³ Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.

¹⁴ Then Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?”

Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, even from Babylon.”

¹⁵ He said, “What have they seen in your house?”

Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”

¹⁶ Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear Yahweh’s word. ¹⁷ ‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says Yahweh. ¹⁸ ‘They will take away some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will father; and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

¹⁹ Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good.” He said moreover, “Isn’t it so, if peace and truth will be in my days?”

²⁰ Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water into the city, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? ²¹ Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

3 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, ² and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love, and into the perseverance of Christ.

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us. ⁷ For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you, ⁸ neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, ⁹ not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” ¹¹ For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies. ¹² Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread.

¹³ But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right. ¹⁴ If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write. ¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; ² and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these local governors might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the local governors, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

⁴ Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

⁶ Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the local governors, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever asks a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.” ⁹ Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. ¹¹ Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. ¹² Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”

The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”

¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” ¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

¹⁵ Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.”

¹⁷ A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰ When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”

²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! ²² My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

²³ Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁴ The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

²⁵ Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth:

“Peace be multiplied to you.

²⁶ “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

9 He called the twelve^[a] together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. ² He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. ³ He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—no staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money. Don’t have two coats each. ⁴ Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. ⁵ As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”

⁶ They departed and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News and healing everywhere. ⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, ⁸ and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. ⁹ Herod said, “I beheaded John, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him. ¹⁰ The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done.

He took them and withdrew apart to a desert region of^[b] a city called Bethsaida. ¹¹ But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing. ¹² The day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.”

¹³ But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For they were about five thousand men.

He said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did so, and made them all sit down. ¹⁶ He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. ¹⁷ They ate and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

¹⁸ As he was praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”

¹⁹ They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

²⁰ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

²¹ But he warned them, and commanded them to tell this to no one, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”

²³ He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross,^[c] and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? ²⁶ For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here who will in no way taste of death until they see God’s Kingdom.”

²⁸ About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. ²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling. ³⁰ Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure,^[d] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³² Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. ³³ As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.

³⁴ While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. ³⁵ A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” ³⁶ When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

³⁷ On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him. ³⁸ Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.”

⁴¹ Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴² While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ They were all astonished at the majesty of God.

But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

⁴⁶ An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side, ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”

⁴⁹ John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

⁵¹ It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem ⁵² and sent messengers before his face. They went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. ⁵³ They didn’t receive him, because he was traveling with his face set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”

⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. ⁵⁶ For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

They went to another village. ⁵⁷ As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, “I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord.”

⁵⁸ Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another, “Follow me!”

But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.”

⁶¹ Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.”

⁶² But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”