Font Size
Acts 11:19-30
Contemporary English Version
Acts 11:19-30
Contemporary English Version
The Church in Antioch
19 (A) Some of the Lord's followers had been scattered because of the terrible trouble that started when Stephen was killed. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they told the message only to the Jews.
20 Some of the followers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and started telling Gentiles[a] the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him. 22 News of what was happening reached the church in Jerusalem. Then they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When Barnabas got there and saw how God had blessed them with undeserved grace, he was very glad. So he begged them to remain faithful to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 Barnabas was a good man of great faith, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many more people turned to the Lord.
25 Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians.
27 During this time some prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch. 28 (B) One of them was Agabus. Then with the help of the Spirit, he told that there would be a terrible famine everywhere in the world. And it happened when Claudius was Emperor.[b] 29 The followers in Antioch decided to send whatever help they could to the followers in Judea. 30 So they appointed Barnabas and Saul to take their gifts to the church leaders in Jerusalem.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 11.20 Gentiles: This translates a Greek word that may mean “people who speak Greek” or “people who live as Greeks do.” Here the word seems to mean “people who are not Jews.” Some manuscripts have “Greeks,” which also seems to mean “people who are not Jews.”
- 11.28 when Claudius was Emperor: a.d. 41–54.
Acts 11:19-30
New International Version
Acts 11:19-30
New International Version
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed(A) traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch,(B) spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus(C) and Cyrene,(D) went to Antioch(E) and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news(F) about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them,(G) and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.(H)
22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas(I) to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done,(J) he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.(K) 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit(L) and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.(M)
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus(N) to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples(O) were called Christians first(P) at Antioch.
27 During this time some prophets(Q) came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus,(R) stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.(S) (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)(T) 29 The disciples,(U) as each one was able, decided to provide help(V) for the brothers and sisters(W) living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders(X) by Barnabas(Y) and Saul.(Z)
Joshua 13-14
Contemporary English Version
Joshua 13-14
Contemporary English Version
The Land Israel Had Not Yet Taken
13 Many years later, the Lord told Joshua:
Now you are very old, but there is still a lot of land that Israel has not yet taken. 2-7 (A) First, there is the Canaanite territory that starts at the Shihor River just east of Egypt and goes north to Ekron. The southern part of this region belongs to the Avvites and the Geshurites,[a] and the land around Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron belongs to the five Philistine rulers.
The other Canaanite territory is in the north. Its northern border starts at the town of Arah, which belongs to the Sidonians. From there, it goes to Aphek,[b] then along the Amorite border[c] to Hamath Pass.[d] The eastern border starts at Hamath Pass and goes south to Baal-Gad at the foot of Mount Hermon, and its southern boundary runs west from there to Misrephoth-Maim.[e] This northern region includes the Lebanon Mountains and the land that belongs to the Gebalites[f] and the Sidonians who live in the hill country from the Lebanon Mountains to Misrephoth-Maim.
With my help, Israel will capture these Canaanite territories and force out the people who live there. But you must divide up the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea[g] among the nine tribes and the half of Manasseh that don't have any land yet. Then each tribe will have its own land.
The Land East of the Jordan River
8 (B) Moses had already given land east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. 9 This region stretched north from the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, and included the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley. It covered the flatlands of Medeba north of Dibon, 10 and took in the towns that had belonged to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. Some of these towns were as far east as the Ammonite border.
11-12 Geshur and Maacah were part of this region, and so was the whole territory that King Og had ruled, that is, Gilead, Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far east as Salecah. Og had lived in Ashtaroth part of each year, and he had lived in Edrei the rest of the year. Og had been one of the last of the Rephaim,[h] but Moses had defeated Sihon and Og and their people[i] and had forced them to leave their land. 13 However, the Israelites did not force the people of Geshur and Maacah to leave, and they still live there among the Israelites.
Why Moses Did Not Give Land to the Levi Tribe
14 (C) Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the Lord God of Israel had told them, “Instead of land, you will receive the sacrifices offered at my altar.”
The Land Moses Gave to the Reuben Tribe
15 Moses gave land to each of the clans in the Reuben tribe. 16 Their land started in the south at the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, took in the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley, and went as far north as the flatlands around Medeba. 17-21 The Amorite King Sihon had lived in Heshbon and had ruled the towns in the flatlands. Now Heshbon belonged to Reuben, and so did the following towns in the flatlands: Dibon, Bamoth-Baal, Beth-Baal-Meon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-Shahar on the hill in the valley, Beth-Peor, Slopes of Mount Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth.
Moses defeated Sihon and killed him and the Midianite chiefs who ruled parts of his kingdom for him. Their names were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. 22 The Israelites also killed Balaam the son of Beor, who had been a fortuneteller.
23 This region with its towns and villages was the land for the Reuben tribe, and the Jordan River was its western border.
The Land Moses Gave to the Gad Tribe
24 Moses also gave land to each of the clans in the Gad tribe. 25 It included the town of Jazer, and in the Gilead region their territory took in the land and towns as far east as the town of Aroer[j] just west of Rabbah.[k] This was about half of the land that had once belonged to the Ammonites. 26 The land given to Gad stretched from Heshbon in the south to Ramath-Mizpeh and Betonim in the north, and even further north to Mahanaim and Lidebor.[l] 27 Gad also received the eastern half of the Jordan River valley, which had been ruled by King Sihon of Heshbon. This territory stretched as far north as Lake Galilee,[m] and included the towns of Beth-Haram, Beth-Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon. 28 These regions with their towns and villages were given to the Gad tribe.
The Land Moses Gave to Half the Manasseh Tribe
29 Moses gave land east of the Jordan River to half of the clans from the Manasseh tribe. 30-31 Their land started at Mahanaim and took in the region that King Og of Bashan had ruled, including Ashtaroth and Edrei, the two towns where he had lived. The villages where the Jair clan settled were part of Manasseh's land, and so was the northern half of the region of Gilead. The clans of this half of Manasseh had 60 towns in all.
The Manasseh tribe is sometimes called the Machir tribe, after Manasseh's son Machir.
32 That was how Moses divided up the Moab Plains to the east of Jericho on the other side of the Jordan River, so these two and a half tribes would have land of their own. 33 (D) But Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the Lord had promised that he would always provide for them.
The Land West of the Jordan River
14 1-5 (E) Nine and a half tribes still did not have any land, although two and a half tribes had already received land east of the Jordan River. Moses had divided that land among them, and he had also said that the Levi tribe would not receive a large region like the other tribes. Instead, the people of Levi would receive towns and the nearby pastures for their sheep, goats, and cattle. And since the descendants of Joseph had become the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, there were still nine and a half tribes that needed land. The Lord had told Moses that he would show those tribes[n] how to divide up the land of Canaan.
When the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the families and tribes of Israel met to divide up the land of Canaan, the Lord showed them how to do it.
Joshua Gives Hebron to Caleb
6 (F) One day while the Israelites were still camped at Gilgal, Caleb the son of Jephunneh went to talk with Joshua. Caleb belonged to the Kenaz clan, and many other people from the Judah tribe went with Caleb. He told Joshua:
You know that back in Kadesh-Barnea the Lord talked to his prophet Moses about you and me. 7 (G) I was 40 years old at the time Moses sent me from Kadesh-Barnea into Canaan as a spy. When I came back and told him about the land, everything I said was true. 8 The other spies said things that made our people afraid, but I completely trusted the Lord God. 9 (H) The same day I came back, Moses told me, “Since you were faithful to the Lord God, I promise that the places where you went as a spy will belong to you and your descendants forever.”
10 Joshua, it was 45 years ago that the Lord told Moses to make that promise, and now I am 85. Even though Israel has moved from place to place in the desert, the Lord has kept me alive all this time as he said he would. 11 I'm just as strong today as I was then, and I can still fight as well in battle.
12 So I'm asking you for the hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You were there. You heard the other spies talk about that part of the hill country and the large, walled towns where the Anakim[o] live. But maybe the Lord will help me take their land, just as he promised.
13 Joshua prayed that God would help Caleb, then he gave Hebron to Caleb and his descendants. 14 And Hebron still belongs to Caleb's descendants, because he was faithful to the Lord God of Israel.
15 Hebron used to be called Arba's Town,[p] because Arba had been one of the greatest[q] of the Anakim.
There was peace in the land.
Footnotes
- 13.2-7 Geshurites: Not the same Geshur as in 12.5 and 13.11. One ancient translation has “Gezerites.” Gezer was a town north of Ekron that the Israelites did not capture (see Judges 1.29).
- 13.2-7 Aphek: Not the same Aphek as in 12.9-24.
- 13.2-7 Amorite border: What had been the southern border of the old Amorite kingdom of Amurru.
- 13.2-7 Hamath Pass: Or “Lebo-Hamath.”
- 13.2-7 Misrephoth-Maim: Or “Misrephoth” or “the Misrephoth River.”
- 13.2-7 Gebalites: Gebal was another name for Byblos.
- 13.2-7 from … Sea: One ancient translation; the Hebrew text does not have these words.
- 13.11,12 Rephaim: See the note at 12.4.
- 13.11,12 Sihon … people: Or “the Rephaim.”
- 13.25 Aroer: Not the same town as the Aroer in verse 16.
- 13.25 Rabbah: The capital city of Ammon.
- 13.26 Lidebor: This may be another name for Lo-Debar, a town a few kilometers east of the Jordan River and about 16 kilometers south of Lake Galilee.
- 13.27 Lake Galilee: See the note at 11.2.
- 14.1-5 he would show those tribes: The Hebrew text has “those tribes must cast lots to find out.” Pieces of wood or stone (called “lots”) were used to find out what God wanted his people to do.
- 14.12 Anakim: See the note at 11.21.
- 14.15 Arba's Town: Or “Kiriath-Arba.”
- 14.15 Arba's Town, because … greatest: Hebrew; one ancient translation “Arba's Town. It was one of the main towns.”
Joshua 13-14
New International Version
Joshua 13-14
New International Version
Land Still to Be Taken
13 When Joshua had grown old,(A) the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines(B) and Geshurites,(C) 3 from the Shihor River(D) on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron(E) on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers(F) in Gaza, Ashdod,(G) Ashkelon,(H) Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites(I) 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek(J) and the border of the Amorites;(K) 5 the area of Byblos;(L) and all Lebanon(M) to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon(N) to Lebo Hamath.(O)
6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,(P) that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out(Q) before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,(R) 7 and divide it as an inheritance(S) among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
Division of the Land East of the Jordan
8 The other half of Manasseh,[a] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned(T) it to them.(U)
9 It extended from Aroer(V) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau(W) of Medeba as far as Dibon,(X) 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(Y) out to the border of the Ammonites.(Z) 11 It also included Gilead,(AA) the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah(AB)— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan,(AC) who had reigned in Ashtaroth(AD) and Edrei.(AE) (He was the last of the Rephaites.(AF)) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.(AG) 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur(AH) and Maakah,(AI) so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.(AJ)
14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.(AK)
15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:
16 The territory from Aroer(AL) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba(AM) 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau,(AN) including Dibon,(AO) Bamoth Baal,(AP) Beth Baal Meon,(AQ) 18 Jahaz,(AR) Kedemoth,(AS) Mephaath,(AT) 19 Kiriathaim,(AU) Sibmah,(AV) Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor,(AW) the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the towns on the plateau(AX) and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs,(AY) Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba(AZ)—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor,(BA) who practiced divination.(BB) 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.(BC)
24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:
25 The territory of Jazer,(BD) all the towns of Gilead(BE) and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;(BF) 26 and from Heshbon(BG) to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim(BH) to the territory of Debir;(BI) 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah,(BJ) Sukkoth(BK) and Zaphon(BL) with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee[b](BM)). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites,(BN) according to their clans.
29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:
30 The territory extending from Mahanaim(BO) and including all of Bashan,(BP) the entire realm of Og king of Bashan(BQ)—all the settlements of Jair(BR) in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan).(BS) This was for the descendants of Makir(BT) son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.(BU)
32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab(BV) across the Jordan east of Jericho.(BW) 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance;(BX) the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,(BY) as he promised them.(BZ)
Division of the Land West of the Jordan
14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance(CA) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar(CB) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel(CC) allotted(CD) to them.(CE) 2 Their inheritances were assigned by lot(CF) to the nine and a half tribes,(CG) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. 3 Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan(CH) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,(CI) 4 for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.(CJ) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.(CK) 5 So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(CL)
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,(CM) and Caleb son of Jephunneh(CN) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God(CO) at Kadesh Barnea(CP) about you and me.(CQ) 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea(CR) to explore the land.(CS) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,(CT) 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.(CU) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.(CV) 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance(CW) and that of your children(CX) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[c]
10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised,(CY) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved(CZ) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!(DA) 11 I am still as strong(DB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous(DC) to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.(DD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites(DE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,(DF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
13 Then Joshua blessed(DG) Caleb son of Jephunneh(DH) and gave him Hebron(DI) as his inheritance.(DJ) 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.(DK) 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba(DL) after Arba,(DM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)
Then the land had rest(DN) from war.
Footnotes
- Joshua 13:8 Hebrew With it (that is, with the other half of Manasseh)
- Joshua 13:27 Hebrew Kinnereth
- Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36
Job 27
Contemporary English Version
Job 27
Contemporary English Version
Job Continues
I Am Desperate
27 Job said:
2 I am desperate because
God All-Powerful refuses
to do what is right.
As surely as God lives,
3 and while he gives me breath,
4 I will tell only the truth.
5 Until the day I die,
I will refuse to do wrong
by saying you are right,
6 because each day my conscience
agrees that I am innocent.
7 I pray that my enemies
will suffer no less
than the wicked.
8 Such people are hopeless,
and God All-Powerful
will cut them down,
9 without listening
when they beg for mercy.
10 And that is what God should do,
because they don't like him
or ever pray.
11 Now I will explain in detail
what God All-Powerful does.
12 All of you have seen these things
for yourselves.
So you have no excuse.
How God Treats the Wicked
13 Here is how God All-Powerful
treats those who are wicked
and brutal.
14 They may have many children,
but most of them will go hungry
or suffer a violent death.
15 Others will die of disease,
and their widows
won't be able to weep.
16 The wicked may collect riches
and clothes in abundance
as easily as clay.
17 But God's people will wear
clothes taken from them
and divide up their riches.
18 No homes built by the wicked
will outlast a cocoon
or a shack.
19 Those sinners may go to bed rich,
but they will wake up poor.[a]
20 Terror will strike at night
like a flood or a storm.
21 Then a scorching wind
will sweep them away
22 without showing mercy,
as they try to escape.
23 At last, the wind will celebrate
because they are gone.
Footnotes
- 27.19 poor: Or “dead.”
Job 27
New International Version
Job 27
New International Version
Job’s Final Word to His Friends
27 And Job continued his discourse:(A)
2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(B)
the Almighty,(C) who has made my life bitter,(D)
3 as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God(E) in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.(F)
5 I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.(G)
6 I will maintain my innocence(H) and never let go of it;
my conscience(I) will not reproach me as long as I live.(J)
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked,(K)
my adversary(L) like the unjust!
8 For what hope have the godless(M) when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?(N)
9 Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?(O)
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?(P)
Will they call on God at all times?
11 “I will teach you about the power of God;
the ways(Q) of the Almighty I will not conceal.(R)
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?
13 “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:(S)
14 However many his children,(T) their fate is the sword;(U)
his offspring will never have enough to eat.(V)
15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.(W)
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust(X)
and clothes like piles of clay,(Y)
17 what he lays up(Z) the righteous will wear,(AA)
and the innocent will divide his silver.(AB)
18 The house(AC) he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,(AD)
like a hut(AE) made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;(AF)
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.(AG)
20 Terrors(AH) overtake him like a flood;(AI)
a tempest snatches him away in the night.(AJ)
21 The east wind(AK) carries him off, and he is gone;(AL)
it sweeps him out of his place.(AM)
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy(AN)
as he flees headlong(AO) from its power.(AP)
23 It claps its hands(AQ) in derision
and hisses him out of his place.”(AR)
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.