John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus^(A)

^18 (B)Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. ¹⁹ And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to ^[a]Jesus, saying, “Are You ^(C)the Coming One, or ^[b]do we look for another?”

²⁰ When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” ²¹ And that very hour He cured many of ^[c]infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

^22 (D)Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: ^(E)that the blind ^(F)see, the lame ^(G)walk, the lepers are ^(H)cleansed, the deaf ^(I)hear, the dead are raised, ^(J)the poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ And blessed is he who is not ^[d]offended because of Me.”

^24 (K)When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

²⁸ For I say to you, among those born of women there is ^[e]not a ^(M)greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors ^[f]justified God, ^(N)having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and ^[g]lawyers rejected ^(O)the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

^31 [h]And the Lord said, ^(P)“To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

³³ For ^(Q)John the Baptist came ^(R)neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come ^(S)eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a ^[i]winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ^35 (T)But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

¹⁵ He is ^(A)the image of the invisible God, ^(B)the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For ^(C)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or ^(D)dominions or ^[a]principalities or ^[b]powers. All things were created ^(E)through Him and for Him. ^17 (F)And He is before all things, and in Him ^(G)all things consist. ¹⁸ And ^(H)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, ^(I)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that ^(J)in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and ^(K)by Him to reconcile ^(L)all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, ^(M)having made peace through the blood of His cross.

²¹ And you, ^(N)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind ^(O)by wicked works, yet now He has ^(P)reconciled ^22 (Q)in the body of His flesh through death, ^(R)to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue ^(S)in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are ^(T)not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, ^(U)which was preached to every creature under heaven, ^(V)of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

^24 (W)I now rejoice in my sufferings ^(X)for you, and fill up in my flesh ^(Y)what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for ^(Z)the sake of His body, which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister according to ^(AA)the ^[c]stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, ^26 (AB)the ^[d]mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, ^(AC)but now has been revealed to His saints. ^27 (AD)To them God willed to make known what are ^(AE)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: ^[e]which is ^(AF)Christ in you, ^(AG)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, ^(AH)warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, ^(AI)that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me ^(AJ)mightily.

The Lord the Strength of His People

A Song of Ascents.

The Family of David^(A)

3 Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was ^(B)Amnon, by ^(C)Ahinoam the ^(D)Jezreelitess; the second, ^[a]Daniel, by ^(E)Abigail the Carmelitess; ² the third, ^(F)Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, ^(G)Adonijah the son of Haggith; ³ the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife ^(H)Eglah.

⁴ These six were born to him in Hebron. ^(I)There he reigned seven years and six months, and ^(J)in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. ^5 (K)And these were born to him in Jerusalem: ^[b]Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and ^(L)Solomon—four by ^[c]Bathshua the daughter of ^[d]Ammiel. ⁶ Also there were Ibhar, ^[e]Elishama, ^[f]Eliphelet, ⁷ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁸ Elishama, ^[g]Eliada, and Eliphelet—^(M)nine in all. ⁹ These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and ^(N)Tamar their sister.

The Family of Solomon^(O)

¹⁰ Solomon’s son was ^(P)Rehoboam; ^[h]Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, ^11 [i]Joram his son, ^[j]Ahaziah his son, ^[k]Joash his son, ¹² Amaziah his son, ^[l]Azariah his son, Jotham his son, ¹³ Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, ¹⁴ Amon his son, and Josiah his son. ¹⁵ The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, the second ^[m]Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, and the fourth ^[n]Shallum. ¹⁶ The sons of ^(Q)Jehoiakim were ^[o]Jeconiah his son and ^[p]Zedekiah his son.

The Family of Jeconiah

¹⁷ And the sons of ^[q]Jeconiah ^[r]were Assir, Shealtiel ^(R)his son, ¹⁸ and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. ¹⁹ The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam, Hananiah, Shelomith their sister, ²⁰ and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed—five in all.

²¹ The sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, and the sons of Shechaniah. ²² The son of Shechaniah was Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah were ^(S)Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat—six in all. ²³ The sons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hezekiah, and Azrikam—three in all. ²⁴ The sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.

The Family of Judah

4 The sons of Judah were ^(T)Perez, Hezron, ^[s]Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ² And ^[t]Reaiah the son of Shobal begot Jahath, and Jahath begot Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. ³ These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi; ⁴ and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah.

These were the sons of ^(U)Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah the father of Bethlehem.

⁵ And ^(V)Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. ⁶ Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. ⁷ The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, and Ethnan; ⁸ and Koz begot Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

⁹ Now Jabez was ^(W)more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name ^[u]Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my ^[v]territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

¹¹ Chelub the brother of ^(X)Shuhah begot Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. ¹² And Eshton begot Beth-Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of ^[w]Ir-Nahash. These were the men of Rechah.

¹³ The sons of Kenaz were ^(Y)Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel were ^[x]Hathath, ¹⁴ and Meonothai who begot Ophrah. Seraiah begot Joab the father of ^(Z)Ge Harashim,^[y] for they were craftsmen. ¹⁵ The sons of ^(AA)Caleb the son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah was ^[z]Kenaz. ¹⁶ The sons of Jehallelel were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. ¹⁷ The sons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And ^[aa]Mered’s wife bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. ¹⁸ (^[ab]His wife Jehudijah bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Sochoh, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) And these were the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.

¹⁹ The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the ^(AB)Maachathite. ²⁰ And the sons of Shimon were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

²¹ The sons of ^(AC)Shelah ^(AD)the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the linen workers of the house of Ashbea; ²² also Jokim, the men of Chozeba, and Joash; Saraph, who ruled in Moab, and Jashubi-Lehem. Now the ^[ac]records are ancient. ²³ These were the potters and those who dwell at ^[ad]Netaim and ^[ae]Gederah; there they dwelt with the king for his work.

The Family of Simeon^(AE)

²⁴ The ^(AF)sons of Simeon were ^[af]Nemuel, Jamin, ^[ag]Jarib, ^[ah]Zerah, and Shaul, ²⁵ Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, and Mishma his son. ²⁶ And the sons of Mishma were Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, and Shimei his son. ²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, ^(AG)nor did any of their families multiply as much as the children of Judah.

²⁸ They dwelt at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, ^29 [ai]Bilhah, Ezem, ^[aj]Tolad, ³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹ Beth Marcaboth, ^[ak]Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. ³² And their villages were ^[al]Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five cities— ³³ and all the villages that were around these cities as far as ^[am]Baal. These were their dwelling places, and they maintained their genealogy: ³⁴ Meshobab, Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah; ³⁵ Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel; ³⁶ Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, and Benaiah; ³⁷ Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah— ³⁸ these mentioned by name were leaders in their families, and their father’s house increased greatly.

³⁹ So they went to the entrance of Gedor, as far as the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰ And they found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, quiet, and peaceful; for some Hamites formerly lived there.

⁴¹ These recorded by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and they ^(AH)attacked^[an] their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and ^(AI)utterly destroyed them, as it is to this day. So they dwelt in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks there. ⁴² Now some of them, five hundred men of the sons of Simeon, went to Mount Seir, having as their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. ⁴³ And they ^[ao]defeated ^(AJ)the rest of the Amalekites who had escaped. They have dwelt there to this day.