Zelophehad’s Daughters^(A)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad^(B) son of Hepher,^(C) the son of Gilead,^(D) the son of Makir,^(E) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward ² and stood before Moses,^(F) Eleazar the priest, the leaders^(G) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting^(H) and said, ³ “Our father died in the wilderness.^(I) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,^(J) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.^{(K) 4} Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

⁵ So Moses brought their case^(L) before the Lord,^{(M) 6} and the Lord said to him, ⁷ “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance^(N) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.^(O)

⁸ “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law^(P) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^(Q) in the Abarim Range^(R) and see the land^(S) I have given the Israelites.^{(T) 13} After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^(U) as your brother Aaron^(V) was, ¹⁴ for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^(W) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^(X) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^(Y) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(Z) appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”^(AA)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[a](AB) and lay your hand on him.^{(AC) 19} Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^(AD) in their presence.^{(AE) 20} Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{(AF) 21} He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(AG) of the Urim^(AH) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³ Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^(AI) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time^(A) my food^(B) offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’^{(C) 3} Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect,^(D) as a regular burnt offering each day.^{(E) 4} Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight,^{(F) 5} together with a grain offering^(G) of a tenth of an ephah^[a] of the finest flour^(H) mixed with a quarter of a hin^[b] of oil^(I) from pressed olives. ⁶ This is the regular burnt offering^(J) instituted at Mount Sinai^(K) as a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.^{(L) 7} The accompanying drink offering^(M) is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink^(N) with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.^{(O) 8} Offer the second lamb at twilight,^(P) along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you offer in the morning.^(Q) This is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(R)

Sabbath Offerings

⁹ “‘On the Sabbath^(S) day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect,^(T) together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah^[c](U) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil.^{(V) 10} This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath,^(W) in addition to the regular burnt offering^(X) and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

¹¹ “‘On the first of every month,^(Y) present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls,^(Z) one ram^(AA) and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.^{(AB) 12} With each bull there is to be a grain offering^(AC) of three-tenths of an ephah^[d](AD) of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths^(AE) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; ¹³ and with each lamb, a grain offering^(AF) of a tenth^(AG) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering,^(AH) a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.^{(AI) 14} With each bull there is to be a drink offering^(AJ) of half a hin^[e] of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin^[f]; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon^(AK) during the year. ¹⁵ Besides the regular burnt offering^(AL) with its drink offering, one male goat^(AM) is to be presented to the Lord as a sin offering.^[g](AN)

The Passover^(AO)

¹⁶ “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month the Lord’s Passover^(AP) is to be held. ¹⁷ On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days^(AQ) eat bread made without yeast.^{(AR) 18} On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.^{(AS) 19} Present to the Lord a food offering^(AT) consisting of a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.^{(AU) 20} With each bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah^(AV) of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;^{(AW) 21} and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.^{(AX) 22} Include one male goat as a sin offering^(AY) to make atonement for you.^{(AZ) 23} Offer these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. ²⁴ In this way present the food offering every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the Lord;^(BA) it is to be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. ²⁵ On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.

The Festival of Weeks^(BB)

²⁶ “‘On the day of firstfruits,^(BC) when you present to the Lord an offering of new grain during the Festival of Weeks,^(BD) hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.^{(BE) 27} Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(BF) 28} With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;^{(BG) 29} and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.^{(BH) 30} Include one male goat^(BI) to make atonement for you. ³¹ Offer these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering^(BJ) and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(B) and on three Sabbath^(C) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(D) 3} explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(E) and rise from the dead.^(F) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”^(G) he said. ⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(H) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

⁵ But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.^(I) They rushed to Jason’s^(J) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^{[a] 6} But when they did not find them, they dragged^(K) Jason and some other believers^(L) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(M) have now come here,^{(N) 7} and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”^{(O) 8} When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. ⁹ Then they made Jason^(P) and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas^(Q) away to Berea.^(R) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.^{(S) 11} Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(T) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(U) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^{(V) 12} As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.^(W)

¹³ But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,^(X) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. ¹⁴ The believers^(Y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas^(Z) and Timothy^(AA) stayed at Berea. ¹⁵ Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens^(AB) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.^(AC)

In Athens

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue^(AD) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(AE) about Jesus and the resurrection.^{(AF) 19} Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,^(AG) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching^(AH) is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians^(AI) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus^(AJ) and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.^{(AK) 23} For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship^(AL)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it^(AM) is the Lord of heaven and earth^(AN) and does not live in temples built by human hands.^{(AO) 25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.^{(AP) 26} From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.^{(AQ) 27} God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.^{(AR) 28} ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’^[b](AS) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’^[c]

²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.^{(AT) 30} In the past God overlooked^(AU) such ignorance,^(AV) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.^{(AW) 31} For he has set a day when he will judge^(AX) the world with justice^(AY) by the man he has appointed.^(AZ) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(BA)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(BB) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” ³³ At that, Paul left the Council. ³⁴ Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,^(BC) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.