The Passover Reviewed(A)

16 “Observe the (B)month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for (C)in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. Therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God, from the flock and (D)the herd, in the (E)place where the Lord chooses to put His name. You shall eat no leavened bread with it; (F)seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may (G)remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. (H)And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the meat which you sacrifice the first day at twilight remain overnight until (I)morning.

“You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you; but at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the Passover (J)at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt. And you shall roast and eat it (K)in the place which the Lord your God chooses, and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents. Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and (L)on the seventh day there shall be a [a]sacred assembly to the Lord your God. You shall do no work on it.

The Feast of Weeks Reviewed(M)

“You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. 10 Then you shall keep the (N)Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give (O)as the Lord your God blesses you. 11 (P)You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. 12 (Q)And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

The Feast of Tabernacles Reviewed(R)

13 (S)“You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. 14 And (T)you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your [b]gates. 15 (U)Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.

16 (V)“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and (W)they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, (X)according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.

Justice Must Be Administered

18 “You shall appoint (Y)judges and officers in all your [c]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 (Z)You shall not pervert justice; (AA)you shall not [d]show partiality, (AB)nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and [e]twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may (AC)live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:8 Lit. restraint
  2. Deuteronomy 16:14 towns
  3. Deuteronomy 16:18 towns
  4. Deuteronomy 16:19 Lit. regard faces
  5. Deuteronomy 16:19 perverts

The Passover(A)

16 Observe the month of Aviv(B) and celebrate the Passover(C) of the Lord your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name.(D) Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction,(E) because you left Egypt in haste(F)—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.(G) Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening(H) of the first day remain until morning.(I)

You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary[a](J) of your departure from Egypt. Roast(K) it and eat it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly(L) to the Lord your God and do no work.(M)

The Festival of Weeks(N)

Count off seven weeks(O) from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain.(P) 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. 11 And rejoice(Q) before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name(R)—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites(S) in your towns, and the foreigners,(T) the fatherless and the widows living among you.(U) 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt,(V) and follow carefully these decrees.

The Festival of Tabernacles(W)

13 Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor(X) and your winepress.(Y) 14 Be joyful(Z) at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy(AA) will be complete.

16 Three times a year all your men must appear(AB) before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(AC) the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.(AD) No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed:(AE) 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.

Judges

18 Appoint judges(AF) and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.(AG) 19 Do not pervert justice(AH) or show partiality.(AI) Do not accept a bribe,(AJ) for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:6 Or down, at the time of day

Barnabas and Saul Appointed

25 And (A)Barnabas and Saul returned [a]from Jerusalem when they had (B)fulfilled their ministry, and they also (C)took with them (D)John whose surname was Mark.

Paul and Barnabas Are Sent to the Gentiles

13 Now (E)in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: (F)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, (G)Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, (H)“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work (I)to which I have called them.” Then, (J)having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Preaching in Cyprus

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to (K)Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, (L)they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had (M)John as their assistant.

Now when they had gone through [b]the island to Paphos, they found (N)a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But (O)Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) [c]withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, (P)filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, (Q)you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, (R)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”

And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:25 NU, M to
  2. Acts 13:6 NU the whole island
  3. Acts 13:8 opposed

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

25 When Barnabas(A) and Saul had finished their mission,(B) they returned from[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.(C) 13 Now in the church at Antioch(D) there were prophets(E) and teachers:(F) Barnabas,(G) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,(H) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod(I) the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,(J) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work(K) to which I have called them.”(L) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them(M) and sent them off.(N)

On Cyprus

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,(O) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.(P) When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God(Q) in the Jewish synagogues.(R) John(S) was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer(T) and false prophet(U) named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul,(V) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer(W) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul(X) from the faith.(Y) Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,(Z) looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil(AA) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?(AB) 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you.(AC) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”(AD)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul(AE) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 12:25 Some manuscripts to

(A)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the (B)place which the Lord your God chooses. And (C)you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and (D)to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; (E)they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. 11 According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you. 12 Now (F)the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13 (G)And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.

Principles Governing Kings

14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, (H)‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you (I)whom the Lord your God chooses; one (J)from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply (K)horses for himself, nor cause the people (L)to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for (M)the Lord has said to you, (N)‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and (O)gold for himself.

18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one (P)before the priests, the Levites. 19 And (Q)it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not [a]be lifted above his brethren, that he (R)may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may [b]prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 17:20 become proud
  2. Deuteronomy 17:20 continue long in his kingdom

Law Courts

If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge(A)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults(B)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.(C) Go to the Levitical(D) priests and to the judge(E) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.(F) 10 You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. 11 Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.(G) 12 Anyone who shows contempt(H) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering(I) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.(J) You must purge the evil from Israel.(K) 13 All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.(L)

The King

14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession(M) of it and settled in it,(N) and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”(O) 15 be sure to appoint(P) over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites.(Q) Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses(R) for himself(S) or make the people return to Egypt(T) to get more of them,(U) for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”(V) 17 He must not take many wives,(W) or his heart will be led astray.(X) He must not accumulate(Y) large amounts of silver and gold.(Z)

18 When he takes the throne(AA) of his kingdom, he is to write(AB) for himself on a scroll a copy(AC) of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life(AD) so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees(AE) 20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law(AF) to the right or to the left.(AG) Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.(AH)

Read full chapter

At Antioch in Pisidia

13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and (A)John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and (B)went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And (C)after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have (D)any word of [a]exhortation for the people, say on.”

16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and (E)you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people [b]Israel (F)chose our fathers, and exalted the people (G)when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with [c]an uplifted arm He (H)brought them out of it. 18 Now (I)for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19 And when He had destroyed (J)seven nations in the land of Canaan, (K)He distributed their land to them by allotment.

20 “After that (L)He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, (M)until Samuel the prophet. 21 (N)And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them (O)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And (P)when He had removed him, (Q)He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, (R)‘I have found David the son of Jesse, (S)a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 (T)From this man’s seed, according (U)to the promise, God raised up for Israel (V)a[d] Savior—Jesus— 24 (W)after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, (X)‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, (Y)there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

26 “Men and brethren, sons of the [e]family of Abraham, and (Z)those among you who fear God, (AA)to you the [f]word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, (AB)because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28 (AC)And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29 (AD)Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, (AE)they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 (AF)But God raised Him from the dead. 31 (AG)He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you glad tidings—(AH)that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

(AI)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’

34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to [g]corruption, He has spoken thus:

(AJ)‘I will give you the sure [h]mercies of David.’

35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm:

(AK)‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

36 “For David, after he had served [i]his own generation by the will of God, (AL)fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and [j]saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up [k]saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that (AM)through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and (AN)by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41 ‘Behold,(AO) you despisers,
Marvel and perish!
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will by no means believe,
Though one were to declare it to you.’

Blessing and Conflict at Antioch

42 [l]So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, (AP)persuaded them to continue in (AQ)the grace of God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:15 encouragement
  2. Acts 13:17 M omits Israel
  3. Acts 13:17 Mighty power
  4. Acts 13:23 M salvation, after
  5. Acts 13:26 stock
  6. Acts 13:26 message
  7. Acts 13:34 the state of decay
  8. Acts 13:34 blessings
  9. Acts 13:36 in his
  10. Acts 13:36 underwent decay
  11. Acts 13:37 underwent no decay
  12. Acts 13:42 Or And when they went out of the synagogue of the Jews; NU And when they went out, they begged

In Pisidian Antioch

13 From Paphos,(A) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,(B) where John(C) left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.(D) On the Sabbath(E) they entered the synagogue(F) and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law(G) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand(H) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;(I) 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct[a](J) in the wilderness;(K) 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,(L) giving their land to his people(M) as their inheritance.(N) 20 All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges(O) until the time of Samuel the prophet.(P) 21 Then the people asked for a king,(Q) and he gave them Saul(R) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,(S) who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul,(T) he made David their king.(U) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;(V) he will do everything I want him to do.’(W)

23 “From this man’s descendants(X) God has brought to Israel the Savior(Y) Jesus,(Z) as he promised.(AA) 24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.(AB) 25 As John was completing his work,(AC) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.(AD) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’(AE)

26 “Fellow children of Abraham(AF) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation(AG) has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,(AH) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets(AI) that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.(AJ) 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him,(AK) they took him down from the cross(AL) and laid him in a tomb.(AM) 30 But God raised him from the dead,(AN) 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.(AO) They are now his witnesses(AP) to our people.

32 “We tell you the good news:(AQ) What God promised our ancestors(AR) 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.(AS) As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.’[b](AT)

34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’[c](AU)

35 So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’[d](AV)

36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;(AW) he was buried with his ancestors(AX) and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead(AY) did not see decay.

38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.(AZ) 39 Through him everyone who believes(BA) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.(BB) 40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.’[e](BC)

42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,(BD) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.(BE)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them
  2. Acts 13:33 Psalm 2:7
  3. Acts 13:34 Isaiah 55:3
  4. Acts 13:35 Psalm 16:10 (see Septuagint)
  5. Acts 13:41 Hab. 1:5