The Servant of the Lord

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly^(A) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)^(B)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(C) to the covenants of the promise,^(D) without hope^(E) and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(F) were far away have been brought near^(G) by the blood of Christ.^(H)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(I) who has made the two groups one^(J) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(K) the law with its commands and regulations.^(L) His purpose was to create in himself one^(M) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(N) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(O) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{(P) 18} For through him we both have access^(Q) to the Father^(R) by one Spirit.^(S)

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(A) Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed,^(B) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^{(C) 8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^(D) Pontus^(E) and Asia,^{[a](F) 10} Phrygia^(G) and Pamphylia,^(H) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(I) visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language^(A) in all the earth:

²⁷ and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers^(A) crowded around them.^(B) They saw that the fire^(C) had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel^(D) and rescued^(E) his servants! They trusted^(F) in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.^{(G) 29} Therefore I decree^(H) that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,^(I) for no other god can save^(J) in this way.”

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.^(K)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

²⁰ Now, Lord our God, deliver^(A) us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth^(B) may know that you, Lord, are the only God.^[a](C)”