¹⁹ Nevertheless ^(A)the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord ^(B)knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of ^[a]Christ depart from iniquity.”

²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, ^(A)You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who ^[a]by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

²⁷ “For ^(C)truly against ^(D)Your holy Servant Jesus, ^(E)whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ^28 (F)to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^(G)that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^(H)and that signs and wonders may be done ^(I)through the name of ^(J)Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(K)the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(L)and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Sharing in All Things

³² Now the multitude of those who believed ^(M)were of one heart and one soul; ^(N)neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. ³³ And with ^(O)great power the apostles gave ^(P)witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And ^(Q)great grace was upon them all.

^13 (A)Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?’ ”

^14 (B)And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One ^(C)who dwells between the cherubim, ^(D)You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ^16 (E)Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; ^(F)open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, ^(G)which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁷ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were ^(H)not gods, but ^(I)the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.

¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, ^(A)good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ^(B)And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, ^(C)we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our ^(D)God whom we serve is able to ^(E)deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we ^(F)worship the gold image which you have set up.”

¹⁰ Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the ^[a]temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”

¹¹ And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” ¹² Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that ^(A)he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.