Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.^(A) You believe^(B) in God^[a];^(C) believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there^(D) to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back^(E) and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.^{(F) 4} You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵ Thomas^(G) said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am^(H) the way^(I) and the truth^(J) and the life.^(K) No one comes to the Father except through me.^{(L) 7} If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well.^(M) From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip^(N) said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.^(O) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?^(P) The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.^(Q) Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.^{(R) 12} Very truly I tell you, whoever believes^(S) in me will do the works I have been doing,^(T) and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask^(U) in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands.^{(V) 16} And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate^(W) to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth.^(X) The world cannot accept him,^(Y) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[c] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans;^(Z) I will come to you.^{(AA) 19} Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.^(AB) Because I live, you also will live.^{(AC) 20} On that day^(AD) you will realize that I am in my Father,^(AE) and you are in me, and I am in you.^{(AF) 21} Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.^(AG) The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,^(AH) and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

²² Then Judas^(AI) (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”^(AJ)

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.^(AK) My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.^{(AL) 24} Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.^(AM)

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate,^(AN) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,^(AO) will teach you all things^(AP) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.^{(AQ) 27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.^(AR) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled^(AS) and do not be afraid.

²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’^(AT) If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father,^(AU) for the Father is greater than I.^{(AV) 29} I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.^{(AW) 30} I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world^(AX) is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹ but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.^(AY)

“Come now; let us leave.

Jacob Goes to Egypt

46 So Israel^(A) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,^(B) he offered sacrifices^(C) to the God of his father Isaac.^(D)

² And God spoke to Israel^(E) in a vision at night^(F) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,”^(G) he replied.

³ “I am God, the God of your father,”^(H) he said. “Do not be afraid^(I) to go down to Egypt,^(J) for I will make you into a great nation^(K) there.^{(L) 4} I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.^(M) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.^(N)”

⁵ Then Jacob left Beersheba,^(O) and Israel’s^(P) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts^(Q) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. ⁶ So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,^(R) taking with them their livestock and the possessions^(S) they had acquired^(T) in Canaan. ⁷ Jacob brought with him to Egypt^(U) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.^(V)

⁸ These are the names of the sons of Israel^(W) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

¹⁵ These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,^[c](AU) besides his daughter Dinah.^(AV) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

¹⁸ These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah,^(AZ) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah^(BA)—sixteen in all.

²² These were the sons of Rachel^(BJ) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

²⁵ These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,^(BN) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel^(BO)—seven in all.

²⁶ All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.^{(BP) 27} With the two sons^[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,^(BQ) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy^[g] in all.^(BR)

²⁸ Now Jacob sent Judah^(BS) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.^(BT) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, ²⁹ Joseph had his chariot^(BU) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.^(BV) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father^[h] and wept^(BW) for a long time.^(BX)

³⁰ Israel^(BY) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”^(BZ)

³¹ Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan,^(CA) have come to me.^{(CB) 32} The men are shepherds;^(CC) they tend livestock,^(CD) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’^{(CE) 33} When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’^{(CF) 34} you should answer, ‘Your servants^(CG) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’^(CH) Then you will be allowed to settle^(CI) in the region of Goshen,^(CJ) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.^(CK)”

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,^(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. ² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.^{(B) 3} The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt^(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge^(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. ⁴ Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?^(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

⁵ One person considers one day more sacred than another;^(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. ⁶ Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;^(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives for ourselves alone,^(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.^{(I) 9} For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life^(J) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.^(K)

¹⁰ You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister^[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?^(L) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.^{(M) 11} It is written:

¹² So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.^(P)

¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment^(Q) on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.^{(R) 14} I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.^(S) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.^{(T) 15} If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.^(U) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.^{(V) 16} Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.^{(W) 17} For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,^(X) but of righteousness, peace^(Y) and joy in the Holy Spirit,^{(Z) 18} because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.^(AA)

¹⁹ Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace^(AB) and to mutual edification.^{(AC) 20} Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.^(AD) All food is clean,^(AE) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.^{(AF) 21} It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.^(AG)

²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn^(AH) himself by what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts^(AI) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.^[c]

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,^(A) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.^{(B) 2} Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.^(C) Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare^[a] of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.^{(D) 3} If anyone teaches otherwise^(E) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(F) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(G) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(H) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(I) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(J) is great gain.^{(K) 7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.^{(L) 8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.^{(M) 9} Those who want to get rich^(N) fall into temptation and a trap^(O) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(P) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(Q) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(R)

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God,^(S) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,^(T) faith, love,^(U) endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight^(V) of the faith. Take hold of^(W) the eternal life^(X) to which you were called when you made your good confession^(Y) in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate^(Z) made the good confession,^(AA) I charge you^{(AB) 14} to keep this command without spot or blame^(AC) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(AD) 15} which God will bring about in his own time^(AE)—God, the blessed^(AF) and only Ruler,^(AG) the King of kings and Lord of lords,^{(AH) 16} who alone is immortal^(AI) and who lives in unapproachable light,^(AJ) whom no one has seen or can see.^(AK) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.^(AL)

¹⁷ Command those who are rich^(AM) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,^(AN) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,^(AO) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^{(AP) 18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(AQ) and to be generous and willing to share.^{(AR) 19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves^(AS) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of^(AT) the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted^(AU) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter^(AV) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.^(AW)

Grace be with you all.^(AX)

Obey the King

² Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. ³ Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.^(A) Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. ⁴ Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?^(B)”

⁹ All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own^[b] hurt. ¹⁰ Then too, I saw the wicked buried^(D)—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise^[c] in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.

¹¹ When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. ¹² Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better^(E) with those who fear God,^(F) who are reverent before him.^{(G) 13} Yet because the wicked do not fear God,^(H) it will not go well with them, and their days^(I) will not lengthen like a shadow.

¹⁴ There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.^(J) This too, I say, is meaningless.^{(K) 15} So I commend the enjoyment of life^(L), because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink^(M) and be glad.^(N) Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

¹⁶ When I applied my mind to know wisdom^(O) and to observe the labor that is done on earth^(P)—people getting no sleep day or night— ¹⁷ then I saw all that God has done.^(Q) No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.^(R)

Psalm 44^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b]