Worship Restored at Jerusalem

3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their^[a] towns, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem.^{(A) 2} Then Jeshua son of Jozadak with his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God.^{(B) 3} They set up the altar on its foundation because they were in dread of the people of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the Lord, morning and evening.^{(C) 4} And they kept the Festival of Booths,^[b] as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day,^{(D) 5} and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. ⁶ From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. ⁷ So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.^(E)

Foundation Laid for the Temple

⁸ In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites from twenty years old and up to have the oversight of the work on the house of the Lord.^{(F) 9} And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and Hodaviah,^[c] along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.^(G)

¹⁰ When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel;^{(H) 11} and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid.^{(I) 12} But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, ¹³ so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

¹⁰ If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am;^{(A) 11} therefore let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers and sisters.^(B)

¹² Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers and sisters, but he was not at all willing to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity.^(C)

Final Messages and Greetings

¹³ Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.^{(D) 14} Let all that you do be done in love.^(E)

¹⁵ Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first fruits in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints;^{(F) 16} I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people and of everyone who works and toils with them.^{(G) 17} I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence,^{(H) 18} for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such persons.^(I)

¹⁹ The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord.^{(J) 20} All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. ²² Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come!^{[a](K) 23} The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.^[b]

Jesus and Beelzebul

²² Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see.^{(A) 23} All the crowds were amazed and were saying, “Can this be the Son of David?”^{(B) 24} But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this man casts out the demons.”^{(C) 25} He knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.^{(D) 26} If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists^[a] cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.^{(E) 28} But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.^{(F) 29} Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. ³⁰ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.^{(G) 31} Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{(H) 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.^(I)