The Renewal of Israel

¹⁶ Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ¹⁷ “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, ^(A)they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like ^(B)the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. ¹⁸ Therefore I poured out My fury on them ^(C)for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. ¹⁹ So I ^(D)scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them ^(E)according to their ways and their deeds. ²⁰ When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they ^(F)profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ ²¹ But I had concern ^(G)for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.

²² “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, ^(H)but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. ²³ And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am ^(I)hallowed in you before their eyes. ²⁴ For ^(J)I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. ^25 (K)Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you ^(L)from all your filthiness and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a ^(M)new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put My ^(N)Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. ^28 (O)Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; ^(P)you shall be My people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ I will ^(Q)deliver you from all your uncleannesses. ^(R)I will call for the grain and multiply it, and ^(S)bring no famine upon you. ^30 (T)And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. ³¹ Then ^(U)you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you ^(V)will ^[a]loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. ^32 (W)Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!”

He Is Risen^(A)

16 Now ^(B)when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome ^(C)bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ^2 (D)Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. ^5 (E)And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

^6 (F)But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going ^[a]before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, ^(G)as He said to you.”

⁸ So they went out ^[b]quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. ^(H)And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Saul Preaches Christ

²⁰ Immediately he preached ^[a]the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

²¹ Then all who heard were amazed, and said, ^(A)“Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

²² But Saul increased all the more in strength, ^(B)and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul Escapes Death

²³ Now after many days were past, ^(C)the Jews plotted to kill him. ^24 (D)But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night and ^(E)let him down through the wall in a large basket.

Saul at Jerusalem

²⁶ And ^(F)when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ^27 (G)But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, ^(H)and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So ^(I)he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. ²⁹ And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the ^(J)Hellenists,^{[b] (K)}but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰ When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

The Church Prospers

^31 (L)Then the ^[c]churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were ^(M)edified.^[d] And walking in the ^(N)fear of the Lord and in the ^(O)comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were ^(P)multiplied.