Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic^(A)

2 And again ^(B)He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. ^2 [a]Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. ³ Then they came to Him, bringing a ^(C)paralytic who was carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? ^(D)Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? ^9 (E)Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has ^[b]power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” ¹² Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and ^(F)glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

4 Let a man so consider us, as ^(A)servants of Christ ^(B)and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. ³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human ^[a]court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. ^5 (C)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to ^(D)light the hidden things of darkness and ^(E)reveal the ^[b]counsels of the hearts. ^(F)Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Fools for Christ’s Sake

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be ^[c]puffed up on behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who ^[d]makes you differ from another? And ^(G)what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸ You are already full! ^(H)You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a ^(I)spectacle ^[e]to the world, both to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are ^(J)fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! ^(K)We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! ¹¹ To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. ^12 (L)And we labor, working with our own hands. ^(M)Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; ¹³ being defamed, we ^[f]entreat. ^(N)We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul’s Paternal Care

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but ^(O)as my beloved children I warn you. ¹⁵ For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for ^(P)in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you, ^(Q)imitate me. ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent ^(R)Timothy to you, ^(S)who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will ^(T)remind you of my ways in Christ, as I ^(U)teach everywhere ^(V)in every church.

^18 (W)Now some are ^[g]puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. ^19 (X)But I will come to you shortly, ^(Y)if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. ²⁰ For ^(Z)the kingdom of God is not in word but in ^(AA)power. ²¹ What do you want? ^(AB)Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

The Majesty of God in Judgment

To the Chief Musician. On ^[a]stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

The Sun Stands Still

10 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem ^(A)heard how Joshua had taken ^(B)Ai and had utterly destroyed it—^(C)as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to ^(D)Ai and its king—and ^(E)how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, ² that they ^(F)feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. ³ Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, ⁴ “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for ^(G)it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” ⁵ Therefore the five kings of the ^(H)Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, ^(I)gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

⁶ And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp ^(J)at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”

⁷ So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and ^(K)all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. ⁸ And the Lord said to Joshua, ^(L)“Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; ^(M)not a man of them shall ^(N)stand before you.” ⁹ Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. ¹⁰ So the Lord ^(O)routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes ^(P)to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as ^(Q)Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹ And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, ^(R)that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

¹² Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

^(U)Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. ¹⁴ And there has been ^(V)no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for ^(W)the Lord fought for Israel.

^15 (X)Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The Amorite Kings Executed

¹⁶ But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

¹⁸ So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. ¹⁹ And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.” ²⁰ Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities. ²¹ And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace.

^(Y)No one ^[a]moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

²² Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.” ²³ And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

²⁴ So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and ^(Z)put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Then Joshua said to ^[b]them, ^(AA)“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for ^(AB)thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” ²⁶ And afterward Joshua struck ^[c]them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they ^(AC)were hanging on the trees until evening. ²⁷ So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they ^(AD)took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.

Conquest of the Southland

²⁸ On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly ^(AE)destroyed ^[d]them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah ^(AF)as he had done to the king of Jericho.

²⁹ Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to ^(AG)Libnah; and they fought against Libnah. ³⁰ And the Lord also delivered it and its king into the hand of Israel; he struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹ Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against it and fought against it. ³² And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. ³³ Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining.

³⁴ From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it. ³⁵ They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; all the people who were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

³⁶ So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to ^(AH)Hebron; and they fought against it. ³⁷ And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword—its king, all its cities, and all the people who were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it.

³⁸ Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to ^(AI)Debir; and they fought against it. ³⁹ And he took it and its king and all its cities; they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king.

⁴⁰ So Joshua conquered all the land: the ^(AJ)mountain country and the ^[e]South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and ^(AK)all their kings; he left none remaining, but ^(AL)utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. ⁴¹ And Joshua conquered them from ^(AM)Kadesh Barnea as far as ^(AN)Gaza, ^(AO)and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. ⁴² All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, ^(AP)because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. ⁴³ Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The Northern Conquest

11 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he ^(AQ)sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king ^(AR)of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, ² and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of ^(AS)Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights ^(AT)of Dor on the west, ³ to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the ^(AU)Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, ^(AV)and the Hivite below ^(AW)Hermon ^(AX)in the land of Mizpah. ⁴ So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people ^(AY)as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. ⁵ And when all these kings had ^[f]met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

⁶ But the Lord said to Joshua, ^(AZ)“Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall ^(BA)hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” ⁷ So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. ⁸ And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to ^[g]Greater ^(BB)Sidon, to the ^[h]Brook ^(BC)Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. ⁹ So Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

¹⁰ Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. ¹¹ And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, ^(BD)utterly destroying them. There was none left ^(BE)breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.

¹² So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, ^(BF)as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. ¹³ But as for the cities that stood on their ^[i]mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. ¹⁴ And all the ^(BG)spoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing. ^15 (BH)As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so ^(BI)Moses commanded Joshua, and ^(BJ)so Joshua did. ^[j]He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

Summary of Joshua’s Conquests

¹⁶ Thus Joshua took all this land: ^(BK)the mountain country, all the South, ^(BL)all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan ^[k]plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands, ^17 (BM)from ^[l]Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured ^(BN)all their kings, and struck them down and killed them. ¹⁸ Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. ¹⁹ There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except ^(BO)the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. ²⁰ For ^(BP)it was of the Lord ^[m]to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, ^(BQ)as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²¹ And at that time Joshua came and cut off ^(BR)the Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. ²² None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only ^(BS)in Gaza, in Gath, ^(BT)and in Ashdod.

²³ So Joshua took the whole land, ^(BU)according to all that the Lord had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel ^(BV)according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land ^(BW)rested from war.

The Kings Conquered by Moses^(BX)

12 These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed on the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, ^(BY)from the River Arnon ^(BZ)to Mount Hermon, and all the eastern Jordan plain: ² One king was ^(CA)Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled half of Gilead, from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, from the middle of that river, even as far as the River Jabbok, which is the border of the Ammonites, ³ and ^(CB)the eastern Jordan plain from the ^[n]Sea of Chinneroth as far as the ^[o]Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), ^(CC)the road to Beth Jeshimoth, and ^[p]southward below ^(CD)the^[q] slopes of Pisgah. ⁴ The other king was ^(CE)Og king of Bashan and his territory, who was of ^(CF)the remnant of the giants, ^(CG)who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, ⁵ and reigned over ^(CH)Mount Hermon, ^(CI)over Salcah, over all Bashan, ^(CJ)as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

^6 (CK)These Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel had conquered; and ^(CL)Moses the servant of the Lord had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

The Kings Conquered by Joshua

⁷ And these are the kings of the country ^(CM)which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as ^[r]Mount Halak and the ascent to ^(CN)Seir, which Joshua ^(CO)gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, ^8 (CP)in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—^(CQ)the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: ^9 (CR)the king of Jericho, one; ^(CS)the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; ^10 (CT)the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; ¹¹ the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; ¹² the king of Eglon, one; ^(CU)the king of Gezer, one; ^13 (CV)the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; ¹⁴ the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; ^15 (CW)the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; ^16 (CX)the king of Makkedah, one; ^(CY)the king of Bethel, one; ¹⁷ the king of Tappuah, one; ^(CZ)the king of Hepher, one; ¹⁸ the king of Aphek, one; the king of ^[s]Lasharon, one; ¹⁹ the king of Madon, one; ^(DA)the king of Hazor, one; ²⁰ the king of ^(DB)Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; ²¹ the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; ^22 (DC)the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; ²³ the king of Dor in the ^(DD)heights of Dor, one; the king of ^(DE)the people of Gilgal, one; ²⁴ the king of Tirzah, one—^(DF)all the kings, thirty-one.