Inheritance of Zelophehad’s Daughters^(A)

36 The family heads of the clan of Gilead^(B) son of Makir,^(C) the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph,^(D) came and spoke before Moses and the leaders,^(E) the heads of the Israelite families. ² They said, “When the Lord commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot,^(F) he ordered you to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad^(G) to his daughters. ³ Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. ⁴ When the Year of Jubilee^(H) for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their property will be taken from the tribal inheritance of our ancestors.”

⁵ Then at the Lord’s command Moses gave this order to the Israelites: “What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. ⁶ This is what the Lord commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within their father’s tribal clan. ⁷ No inheritance^(I) in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors. ⁸ Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father’s tribal clan,^(J) so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of their ancestors. ⁹ No inheritance may pass from one tribe to another, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits.”

¹⁰ So Zelophehad’s daughters did as the Lord commanded Moses. ¹¹ Zelophehad’s daughters—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah^(K)—married their cousins on their father’s side. ¹² They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in their father’s tribe and clan.^(L)

¹³ These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses^(M) to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.^(N)

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

²¹ After all this had happened, Paul decided^[a] to go to Jerusalem,^(A) passing through Macedonia^(B) and Achaia.^(C) “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”^{(D) 22} He sent two of his helpers,^(E) Timothy^(F) and Erastus,^(G) to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia^(H) a little longer.

The Riot in Ephesus

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^{(I) 24} A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^{(J) 26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(K) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(L) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^{(M) 27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^{(N) 29} Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(O) and Aristarchus,^(P) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(Q) and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples^(R) would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.^(S) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned^(T) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^(U)

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,^(V) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples^(W) nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen^(X) have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.^(Y) They can press charges. ³⁹ If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.”