Invitations of Wisdom and Folly

The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard^(A) and holding the banners of their family.”

³⁴ So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

The Levites

3 This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses^(AH) at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.^(AI)

² The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn^(AJ) and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(AK) 3} Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests,^(AL) who were ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord^(AM) when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai.^(AN) They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar^(AO) served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.^(AP)

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi^(AQ) and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.^{(AR) 7} They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community^(AS) at the tent of meeting by doing the work^(AT) of the tabernacle. ⁸ They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;^(AU) they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.^{[b] 10} Appoint Aaron^(AV) and his sons to serve as priests;^(AW) anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”^(AX)

¹¹ The Lord also said to Moses, ¹² “I have taken the Levites^(AY) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(AZ) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^{(BA) 13} for all the firstborn are mine.^(BB) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^(BC)

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,^{(BD) 15} “Count^(BE) the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”^{(BF) 16} So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

²¹ To Gershon^(BO) belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites;^(BP) these were the Gershonite clans. ²² The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. ²³ The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle.^{(BQ) 24} The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle^(BR) and tent, its coverings,^(BS) the curtain at the entrance^(BT) to the tent of meeting,^{(BU) 26} the curtains of the courtyard^(BV), the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^(BW) and the ropes^(BX)—and everything^(BY) related to their use.

²⁷ To Kohath^(BZ) belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites;^(CA) these were the Kohathite^(CB) clans. ²⁸ The number of all the males a month old or more^(CC) was 8,600.^[c] The Kohathites were responsible^(CD) for the care of the sanctuary.^{(CE) 29} The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side^(CF) of the tabernacle. ³⁰ The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan^(CG) son of Uzziel. ³¹ They were responsible for the care of the ark,^(CH) the table,^(CI) the lampstand,^(CJ) the altars,^(CK) the articles^(CL) of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain,^(CM) and everything related to their use.^{(CN) 32} The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar^(CO) son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible^(CP) for the care of the sanctuary.^(CQ)

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites;^(CR) these were the Merarite clans.^{(CS) 34} The number of all the males a month old or more^(CT) who were counted was 6,200. ³⁵ The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.^{(CU) 36} The Merarites were appointed^(CV) to take care of the frames of the tabernacle,^(CW) its crossbars,^(CX) posts,^(CY) bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,^{(CZ) 37} as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard^(DA) with their bases, tent pegs^(DB) and ropes.

³⁸ Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east^(DC) of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting.^(DD) They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary^(DE) on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.^(DF)

³⁹ The total number of Levites counted^(DG) at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.^(DH)

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more^(DI) and make a list of their names.^{(DJ) 41} Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites,^(DK) and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”^(DL)

⁴² So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total number of firstborn males a month old or more,^(DM) listed by name, was 22,273.^(DN)

⁴⁴ The Lord also said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine.^(DO) I am the Lord.^{(DP) 46} To redeem^(DQ) the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ collect five shekels^[d](DR) for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel,^(DS) which weighs twenty gerahs.^{(DT) 48} Give the money for the redemption^(DU) of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”^(DV)

⁴⁹ So Moses collected the redemption money^(DW) from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the Israelites^(DX) he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,^[e](DY) according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

Paul Ashore on Malta

28 Once safely on shore, we^(A) found out that the island^(B) was called Malta. ² The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. ³ Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand,^(C) they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”^{(D) 5} But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.^{(E) 6} The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.^(F)

⁷ There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. ⁸ His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer,^(G) placed his hands on him^(H) and healed him.^{(I) 9} When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. ¹⁰ They honored us^(J) in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Paul’s Arrival at Rome

¹¹ After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship^(K) with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. ¹² We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. ¹³ From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found some brothers and sisters^(L) who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ The brothers and sisters^(M) there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. ¹⁶ When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.^(N)

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard

¹⁷ Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders.^(O) When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers,^(P) although I have done nothing against our people^(Q) or against the customs of our ancestors,^(R) I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸ They examined me^(S) and wanted to release me,^(T) because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.^{(U) 19} The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar.^(V) I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel^(W) that I am bound with this chain.”^(X)

²¹ They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people^(Y) who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. ²² But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”^(Z)

²³ They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God,^(AA) and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets^(AB) he tried to persuade them about Jesus.^{(AC) 24} Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.^{(AD) 25} They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said^(AE) through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁸ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation^(AH) has been sent to the Gentiles,^(AI) and they will listen!” ^[29] [b]

³⁰ For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹ He proclaimed the kingdom of God^(AJ) and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness^(AK) and without hindrance!