Review of Israel’s History

24 Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem^(A) and summoned Israel’s elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and they presented themselves before God.^{(B) 2} Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah,^(C) the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. ³ But I took your father Abraham from the region beyond the Euphrates River, led him throughout the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants.^(D) I gave him Isaac,^{(E) 4} and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.^(F) I gave the hill country of Seir to Esau as a possession.^(G)

“‘Jacob and his sons, however, went down to Egypt.^{(H) 5} I sent Moses and Aaron,^(I) and I defeated Egypt by what I did within it, and afterward I brought you out. ⁶ When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and you reached the Red Sea,^(J) the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen as far as the sea. ⁷ Your ancestors cried out to the Lord, so he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea over them, engulfing them. Your own eyes saw what I did to Egypt. After that, you lived in the wilderness a long time.

⁸ “‘Later, I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan.^(K) They fought against you, but I handed them over to you. You possessed their land, and I annihilated them before you. ⁹ Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab,^(L) set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, ¹⁰ but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, he repeatedly blessed you, and I rescued you from him.

¹¹ “‘You then crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho.^(M) Jericho’s citizens—as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hethites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites—fought against you, but I handed them over to you. ¹² I sent hornets^[a](N) ahead of you, and they drove out the two Amorite kings^(O) before you. It was not by your sword or bow. ¹³ I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build,^(P) though you live in them; you are eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

The Covenant Renewal

¹⁴ “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth.^(Q) Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped^(R) beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. ¹⁵ But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living?^(S) As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”

¹⁶ The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! ¹⁷ For the Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery,^(T) and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. ¹⁸ The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because he is our God.”

¹⁹ But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God;^(U) he will not forgive your transgressions and sins.^{(V) 20} If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy^(W) you, after he has been good to you.”

²¹ “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.”

²² Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the Lord.”

“We are witnesses,” they said.

²³ “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.”

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them. ²⁶ Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God;^(X) he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. ²⁷ And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us,^(Y) for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.” ²⁸ Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.

Burial of Three Leaders

²⁹ After these things, the Lord’s servant, Joshua son of Nun, died at the age of 110. ³⁰ They buried him in his allotted territory at Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim^(Z) north of Mount Gaash. ³¹ Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua^(AA) and who had experienced all the works the Lord had done for Israel.

³² Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,^(AB) were buried at Shechem in the parcel of land Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.^[b](AC) It was an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants.

³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah,^[c] which had been given to his son Phinehas^(AD) in the hill country of Ephraim.

Peter and John Arrested

4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,^{(A) 2} because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.^{(B) 3} So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men^[a] came to about five thousand.

Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership

⁵ The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem ⁶ with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.^{(C) 7} After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

⁸ Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:^{[b](D) 9} If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy.^{(E) 11} This Jesus is

¹² There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”^(G)

The Boldness of the Disciples

¹³ When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.^{(H) 14} And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. ¹⁵ After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.^{(I) 17} But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” ¹⁸ So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;^{(J) 20} for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(K)

²¹ After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.^{(L) 22} For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.

Prayer for Boldness

²³ After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.^{(M) 25} You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:^[d]

²⁷ “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,^{(O) 28} to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,^{(P) 30} while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders^(Q) are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.^(R)

All Things in Common

³² Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.^{(S) 33} With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.^{(T) 34} For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,^{(U) 35} and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.^(V)

³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),^{(W) 37} sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.^(X)

Linen Underwear

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen undergarment^(A) and put it on.^[a] But do not put it in water.” ² So I bought underwear as the Lord instructed me and put it on.

³ Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: ⁴ “Take the underwear that you bought and are wearing,^[b] and go at once to the Euphrates^[c] and hide it in a rocky crevice.”^{(B) 5} So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

⁶ A long time later the Lord said to me, “Go at once to the Euphrates and get the underwear that I commanded you to hide there.” ⁷ So I went to the Euphrates and dug up the underwear and got it from the place where I had hidden it, but it was ruined—of no use at all.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “This is what the Lord says: Just like this I will ruin the great pride of both Judah and Jerusalem.^{(C) 10} These evil people, who refuse to listen to me, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts,^(D) and who have followed other gods to serve and bow in worship—they will be like this underwear, of no use at all. ¹¹ Just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to me”^(E)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“so that they might be my people for my fame, praise, and glory,^(F) but they would not obey.

The Wine Jars

¹² “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every jar should be filled with wine.’ Then they will respond to you, ‘Don’t we know that every jar should be filled with wine?’ ¹³ And you will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to fill all who live in this land—the kings who reign for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the residents of Jerusalem—with drunkenness. ¹⁴ I will smash them against each other, fathers and sons alike—this is the Lord’s declaration. I will allow no mercy, pity, or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’”^(G)

The Lord’s Warning

The Destiny of Jerusalem

Jesus Handed Over to Pilate

27 When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death.^{(A) 2} After tying him up, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate,^[a] the governor.^(B)

Judas Hangs Himself

³ Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.^{(C) 4} “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” ⁵ So he threw the silver into the temple^(D) and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

⁶ The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not permitted^(E) to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷ They conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸ Therefore that field has been called “Field of Blood” to this day. ⁹ Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: They took^[b] the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him whose price was set by the Israelites, ¹⁰ and they gave^[c] them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.^[d](F)

Jesus Faces the Governor

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor.^(G) “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.

Jesus answered, “You say so.”^{(H) 12} While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he didn’t answer.^(I)

¹³ Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how much they are testifying against you?” ¹⁴ But he didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was quite amazed.^(J)

Jesus or Barabbas

¹⁵ At the festival^(K) the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.^{[e] 17} So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ^{(L) 18} For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of him.”^(M)

²⁰ The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. ²¹ The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.

²² Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?”

They all answered, “Crucify him!” ^(N)

²³ Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him!” ^(O)

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.^[f] See to it yourselves!” ^(P)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood be on us^(Q) and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them and, after having Jesus flogged, handed him over to be crucified.^(R)

Mocked by the Military

²⁷ Then^(S) the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company^[g] around him.^{(T) 28} They stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe.^{(U) 29} They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and placed a staff in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then they spat on him, took the staff, and kept hitting him on the head. ³¹ After they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.^(V)

Crucified Between Two Criminals

³² As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced him to carry his cross.^{(W) 33} When they came to a place called Golgotha^(X) (which means Place of the Skull), ³⁴ they gave him wine^[h] mixed with gall to drink. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.^{[i](Y) 36} Then they sat down and were guarding him there. ³⁷ Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

³⁸ Then two criminals^[j] were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.^{(Z) 39} Those who passed by were yelling insults at^[k] him, shaking their heads^{(AA) 40} and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” ^{(AB) 41} In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,^[l] mocked him and said, ⁴² “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel!^(AC) Let him^[m] come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him!^[n] For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.^(AD)