Israel's Joy and Restoration

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was ^(A)provoked within him as he saw that the city was ^(B)full of idols. ¹⁷ So ^(C)he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, ^(D)“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because ^(E)he was preaching ^(F)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they took him and brought him to ^(G)the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this ^(H)new teaching is that you are presenting? ²⁰ For you bring some ^(I)strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” ²¹ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

²² So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. ²³ For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ^(J)‘To the unknown god.’ ^(K)What therefore you worship ^(L)as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (M)The God who made the world and everything in it, being ^(N)Lord of heaven and earth, ^(O)does not live in temples made by man,^{[a] 25} nor is he served by human hands, ^(P)as though he needed anything, since he himself ^(Q)gives to all mankind ^(R)life and breath and everything. ²⁶ And ^(S)he made from one man every nation of mankind to live ^(T)on all the face of the earth, ^(U)having determined allotted periods and ^(V)the boundaries of their dwelling place, ^27 (W)that they should seek God, ^(X)and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. ^(Y)Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, ²⁸ for

as even some of ^(AA)your own poets have said,

^29 (AB)Being then God's offspring, ^(AC)we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. ^30 (AD)The times of ignorance ^(AE)God overlooked, but ^(AF)now he ^(AG)commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has fixed ^(AH)a day on which ^(AI)he will judge the world ^(AJ)in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and ^(AK)of this he has given assurance to all ^(AL)by raising him from the dead.”

Elisha and the Shunammite Woman

⁸ One day Elisha went on to ^(A)Shunem, where a ^(B)wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. ⁹ And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy ^(C)man of God who is continually passing our way. ¹⁰ Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.”

¹¹ One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. ¹² And he said to ^(D)Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³ And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to ^(E)the commander of the army?’” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” ¹⁴ And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” ¹⁵ He said, “Call her.” And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶ And he said, “At this season, ^(F)about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, ^(G)O man of God; ^(H)do not lie to your servant.” ¹⁷ But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time ^(I)the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.

Elisha Raises the Shunammite's Son

¹⁸ When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁹ And he said to his father, “Oh, ^(J)my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” ²⁰ And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. ²¹ And she went up ^(K)and laid him on the bed of the ^(L)man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. ²² Then she called to her husband and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to ^(M)the man of God and come back again.” ²³ And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither ^(N)new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.” ²⁴ Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” ²⁵ So she set out and came to the man of God ^(O)at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite. ²⁶ Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” ²⁷ And when she came ^(P)to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” ²⁸ Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? ^(Q)Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” ²⁹ He said to Gehazi, ^(R)“Tie up your garment and ^(S)take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, ^(T)do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And ^(U)lay my staff on the face of the child.” ³⁰ Then the mother of the child said, ^(V)“As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. ³¹ Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child ^(W)has not awakened.”

³² When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. ³³ So he went in and ^(X)shut the door behind the two of them ^(Y)and prayed to the Lord. ³⁴ Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as ^(Z)he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. ³⁵ Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up ^(AA)and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ³⁶ Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” ³⁷ She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. ^(AB)Then she picked up her son and went out.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

¹¹ Soon afterward^[a] he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, ^(A)the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, ^(B)he had compassion on her and ^(C)said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then he came up and touched ^(D)the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, ^(E)arise.” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus^{[b] (F)}gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Fear seized them all, and ^(G)they glorified God, saying, ^(H)“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and ^(I)“God has visited his people!” ¹⁷ And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.