Micah’s Idols

17 Now a man named Micah^(A) from the hill country of Ephraim ² said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels^[a] of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.”

Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you,^(B) my son!”

³ When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver.^(C) I will give it back to you.”

⁴ So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels^[b] of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol.^(D) And it was put in Micah’s house.

⁵ Now this man Micah had a shrine,^(E) and he made an ephod^(F) and some household gods^(G) and installed^(H) one of his sons as his priest.^{(I) 6} In those days Israel had no king;^(J) everyone did as they saw fit.^(K)

⁷ A young Levite^(L) from Bethlehem in Judah,^(M) who had been living within the clan of Judah, ⁸ left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way^[c] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

⁹ Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,^(N)” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

¹⁰ Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father^(O) and priest,^(P) and I’ll give you ten shekels^[d] of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” ¹¹ So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. ¹² Then Micah installed^(Q) the Levite, and the young man became his priest^(R) and lived in his house. ¹³ And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”^(S)

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

¹⁶ Jesus went on to say, “In a little while^(A) you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”^(B)

¹⁷ At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’^(C) and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”^{(D) 18} They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

¹⁹ Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn^(E) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.^{(F) 21} A woman giving birth to a child has pain^(G) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. ²² So with you: Now is your time of grief,^(H) but I will see you again^(I) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.^{(J) 23} In that day^(K) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.^{(L) 24} Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,^(M) and your joy will be complete.^(N)

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively,^(O) a time is coming^(P) when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name.^(Q) I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me^(R) and have believed that I came from God.^{(S) 28} I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”^(T)

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.^{(U) 30} Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe^(V) that you came from God.”^(W)

³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming^(X) and in fact has come when you will be scattered,^(Y) each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.^(Z) Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.^(AA)

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.^(AB) In this world you will have trouble.^(AC) But take heart! I have overcome^(AD) the world.”