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Weekly Scripture Reading
Torah: Numbers 19-21
Prophets: Isaiah 49-50
Historical Writings: 1 Samuel 7-8
New Testament: Acts 20
Wisdom Writings: Job 25-27
Non-Canonical: Letter of Jeremiah 1
The following translation is from The Scriptures | ISR98
Number 19-21
19 | 1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,
2 “This is a law of the Torah which יהוה has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, that they bring you a red heifer, a perfect one, in which there is no blemish and on which a yoke has never come.
3 ‘And you shall give it to El‛azar the priest, and he shall bring it outside the camp, and shall slaughter it before him.
4 ‘And El‛azar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.
5 ‘And the heifer shall be burned before his eyes – he burns its hide, and its flesh, and its blood, and its dung.
6 ‘And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and throw them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.
7 ‘The priest shall then wash his garments, and shall bathe his body in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest is unclean until evening.
8 ‘And he who is burning it washes his garments in water, and shall bathe his body in water, and is unclean until evening.
9 ‘And a clean man shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and shall place them outside the camp in a clean place. And they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl for the water for uncleanness, it is for cleansing from sin.
10 ‘And he who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his garments, and is unclean until evening. And it shall be a law forever to the children of Yisra’ĕl and to the stranger who sojourns in their midst.
11 ‘He who touches the dead of any human being is unclean for seven days.
12 ‘He is to cleanse himself with the water on the third day, and on the seventh day he is clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day, then on the seventh day he is not clean.
13 ‘Anyone who touches the dead of a human being, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the Dwelling Place of יהוה. And that being shall be cut off from Yisra’ĕl. He is unclean, for the water for uncleanness was not sprinkled on him, his uncleanness is still upon him.
14 ‘This is the Torah when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent are unclean for seven days,
15 and every open vessel which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean.
16 ‘Anyone in the open field who touches someone slain by a sword or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, is unclean for seven days.
17 ‘And for the unclean being they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for cleansing from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.
18 ‘And a clean man shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, and shall sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the beings who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, or the slain, or the dead, or a grave.
19 ‘And the clean one shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day. And on the seventh day he shall cleanse himself, and shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and shall be clean in the evening.
20 ‘But the man who is unclean and does not cleanse himself, that being shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the set-apart place of יהוה – water for uncleanness has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean.
21 ‘And it shall be a law for them forever. And the one who sprinkles the water for uncleanness washes his garments. And the one who touches the water for uncleanness is unclean until evening.
22 ‘And whatever the unclean being touches is unclean. And the being who touches it is unclean until evening.’ ”
20 | 1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the congregation, came into the Wilderness of Tsin in the first month, and the people stayed in Qaḏĕsh. And Miryam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation and they assembled against Mosheh and against Aharon.
3 And the people contended with Mosheh and spoke, saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before יהוה!
4 “Why have you brought up the assembly of יהוה into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here?
5 “And why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim, to bring us to this evil place? – not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”
6 Then Mosheh and Aharon went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the esteem of יהוה appeared to them.
7 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
8 “Take the rod and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aharon. And you shall speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water. And you shall bring water for them out of the rock and give drink to the congregation and their livestock.”
9 And Mosheh took the rod from before יהוה as He commanded him.
10 And Mosheh and Aharon assembled the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
11 Then Mosheh lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And much water came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
12 But יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, “Because you did not believe Me, to set Me apart in the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, therefore you do not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13 These were the waters of Meriḇah, because the children of Yisra’ĕl contended with יהוה, and He was set apart among them.
14 And Mosheh sent messengers from Qaḏĕsh to the sovereign of Eḏom. “This is what your brother Yisra’ĕl said, ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
15 that our fathers went down to Mitsrayim, and we dwelt in Mitsrayim a long time, and the Mitsrites did evil to us and our fathers.
16 ‘And we cried out to יהוה, and He heard our voice and sent the Messenger and brought us up out of Mitsrayim. And see, we are in Qaḏĕsh, a city on the edge of your border.
17 ‘Please let us pass over, through your land. We shall not pass over through fields or vineyards, nor drink water from wells, we shall go along the sovereign’s highway. We shall not turn aside, right or left, until we have passed over your border.’ ”
18 But Eḏom said to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out against you with the sword.”
19 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to him, “We shall go by the highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I shall pay for it. Let me only pass over on foot, without a word.”
20 But he said, “You do not pass over.” And Eḏom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.
21 So when Eḏom refused to let Yisra’ĕl pass over through his border, Yisra’ĕl turned away from him.
22 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the company, departed from Qaḏĕsh and came to Mount Hor.
23 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon in Mount Hor near the border of the land of Eḏom, saying,
24 “Aharon is to be gathered to his people, for he is not to enter the land which I have given to the children of Yisra’ĕl, because you rebelled against My mouth at the water of Meriḇah.
25 “Take Aharon and El‛azar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor,
26 and strip Aharon of his garments and put them on El‛azar his son, for Aharon is to be gathered to his people and die there.”
27 And Mosheh did as יהוה commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation.
28 And Mosheh stripped Aharon of his garments and put them on El‛azar his son. And Aharon died there on the top of the mountain. And Mosheh and El‛azar came down from the mountain.
29 And when all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead, all the house of Yisra’ĕl wept for Aharon, thirty days.
21 | 1 And the sovereign of Araḏ, the Kena‛anite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Yisra’ĕl was coming on the way to Atharim, and he fought against Yisra’ĕl and took some of them captive.
2 Then Yisra’ĕl made a vow to יהוה, and said, “If You deliver this people into my hand indeed, then I shall put their cities under the ban.”
3 And יהוה listened to the voice of Yisra’ĕl and gave up the Kena‛anites, and they put them and their cities under the ban. So the name of that place was called Ḥormah.
4 And they departed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Sea of Reeds, to go around the land of Eḏom. But the being of the people grew impatient because of the way.
5 And the people spoke against Elohim and against Mosheh, “Why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our being loathes this light bread.”
6 And יהוה sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And many of the people of Yisra’ĕl died.
7 Then the people came to Mosheh, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against יהוה and against you. Pray to יהוה to take away the serpents from us.” So Mosheh prayed on behalf of the people.
8 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
9 So Mosheh made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
10 And the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and camped in Oḇoth.
11 And they departed from Oḇoth and camped at Iyĕ Ha-Aḇarim, in the wilderness which is east of Mo’aḇ, toward sunrise.
12 From there they set out and camped at the wadi Zereḏ.
13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Mo’aḇ, between Mo’aḇ and the Amorites.
14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Battles of יהוה, “Wahĕḇ in Suphah, the wadi Arnon,
15 and the slope of the wadi that turns aside to the dwelling of Ar, and lies on the border of Mo’aḇ.”
16 And from there on to Be’ĕr, which is the well where יהוה said to Mosheh, “Gather the people, and let Me give them water.”
17 Yisra’ĕl then sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing to it,
18 a well the leaders sank, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves, by the word of the Law-giver.” Then from the wilderness on to Mattanah,
19 from Mattanah to Naḥali’ĕl, from Naḥali’ĕl to Bamoth,
20 and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the country of Mo’aḇ, to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the wasteland.
21 And Yisra’ĕl sent messengers to Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites, saying,
22 “Let me pass through your land. We shall not turn off into fields or vineyards, we shall not drink water from wells, but go by the sovereign’s highway until we have passed over your border.”
23 But Siḥon would not allow Yisra’ĕl to pass through his border. So Siḥon gathered all his people together and went out against Yisra’ĕl in the wilderness, and he came to Yahats and fought against Yisra’ĕl.
24 And Yisra’ĕl smote him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Yabboq, as far as the children of Ammon, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
25 And Yisra’ĕl took all these cities, and Yisra’ĕl dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites – in Ḥeshbon and in all its villages,
26 for Ḥeshbon was the city of Siḥon the sovereign of the Amorites, who had fought against the former sovereign of Mo’aḇ, and had taken all his land from his hand as far as the Arnon.
27 That is why those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Ḥeshbon, let the city of Siḥon be built and established.
28 “For fire went out from Ḥeshbon, a flame from the city of Siḥon. It consumed Ar of Mo’aḇ, the masters of the heights of the Arnon.
29 “Woe to you, Mo’aḇ! You have perished, O people of Kemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Siḥon the sovereign of the Amorites.
30 “Then we shot them – Ḥeshbon has perished as far as Diḇon. And we laid waste as far as Nophaḥ, which reaches to Mĕyḏeḇa.”
31 So Yisra’ĕl dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
32 And Mosheh sent to spy out Ya‛zĕr. And they took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there,
33 and turned and went up by the way to Bashan. And Og̅ sovereign of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Eḏre‛i.
34 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, with all his people and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites, who dwelt at Ḥeshbon.”
35 And they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until no remnant was left to him. And they took possession of his land.
Isaiah 49-50
49 | 1 Listen to Me, O coastlands, and hear, you peoples from afar! יהוה has called Me from the womb, from My mother’s belly He has caused My Name to be remembered.
2 And He made My mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid Me, and made Me a polished shaft. In His quiver He hid Me.”
3 And He said to Me, ‘You are My servant, O Yisra’ĕl, in whom I am adorned.’
4 And I said, ‘I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for emptiness, and in vain. But my right-ruling is with יהוה, and my work with my Elohim.’ ”
5 And now said יהוה – who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Ya‛aqoḇ back to Him, though Yisra’ĕl is not gathered to Him, yet I am esteemed in the eyes of יהוה, and My Elohim has been My strength –
6 and He says, “Shall it be a small matter for You to be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Ya‛aqoḇ, and to bring back the preserved ones of Yisra’ĕl? And I shall give You as a light to the gentiles, to be My deliverance to the ends of the earth!”
7 Thus said יהוה, the Redeemer of Yisra’ĕl, their Set-apart One, to the despised, to the loathed One of the nation, to the Servant of rulers, “Sovereigns shall see and arise, rulers also shall bow themselves, because of יהוה who is steadfast, the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl. And He has chosen You!”
8 Thus said יהוה, “In a favourable time I shall answer You, and in the day of deliverance I shall help You – and I guard You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the ruined inheritances,
9 to say to the prisoners, ‘Go out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ “Let them feed on the ways, and let their pasture be on all bare hills.
10 “They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither heat or sun strike them, for He who has compassion on them shall lead them, even by fountains of water guide them.
11 “And I shall make all My mountains a way, and My highways raised up.
12 “See, these come from far away, and see, those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim.”
13 Sing, O heavens, rejoice, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For יהוה shall comfort His people and have compassion on His afflicted ones.
14 But Tsiyon says, “יהוה has forsaken me, and יהוה has forgotten me.”
15 “Would a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Though they forget, I never forget you.
16 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are always before Me.
17 “Your sons shall hurry, your destroyers and those who laid you waste depart from you.
18 “Lift up your eyes round about and see, all of them gather together and come to you. As I live,” declares יהוה, “you shall put on all of them as an ornament, and bind them on you as a bride does.
19 “For your wastes, and your deserted places, and the land of your destruction, shall soon be too narrow for the inhabitants, while those who swallowed you up are far away.
20 “The sons of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, ‘The place is too narrow for me, make room for me to live.’
21 “And you shall say in your heart, ‘Who has brought forth these for me, since I am bereaved and barren, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who reared them? See, I was left alone – from where did these come?’ ”
22 Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I lift My hand up to the gentiles, and set up My banner for the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters carried on their shoulders;
23 “And sovereigns shall be your foster fathers, and their sovereignesses your nursing mothers. They bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. And you shall know that I am יהוה – those who wait for Me shall not be ashamed.”
24 Is prey taken from the mighty, and the captives of the righteous delivered?
25 Yet thus said יהוה, “Even the captives of the mighty is taken away, and the prey of the ruthless is delivered; and I strive with him who strives with you, and I save your children.
26 “And I shall feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and let them drink their own blood as sweet wine. All flesh shall know that I, יהוה, am your Saviour, and your Redeemer, the Elohim of Ya‛aqoḇ.”
50 | 1 Thus says יהוה, “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Look, you were sold for your crookednesses, and your mother was put away for your transgressions.
2 “When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was My hand too short to redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? See, by My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink for there is not water, and die of thirst.
3 “I clothe the heavens with darkness, and I make sackcloth their covering.”
4 The Master יהוה has given Me the tongue of taught ones, that I should know to help the weary with a word. He wakes Me morning by morning, he wakes My ear to hear as taught ones.
5 The Master יהוה has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.
6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard, I did not hide My face from humiliation and spitting.
7 And the Master יהוה helps Me, therefore I shall not be humiliated. So I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I am not put to shame.
8 Near is He who declares Me right. Who would contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.
9 See, the Master יהוה helps Me. Who would declare Me wrong? See, all of them wear out like a garment, a moth eats them.
10 Who among you is fearing יהוה, obeying the voice of His Servant, that has walked in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the Name of יהוה and lean upon his Elohim!
11 See, all you who light a fire, girding on burning arrows: walk in the light of your fire and in the burning arrows you have lit. From My hand you shall have this: you shall lie down in grief!
1 Samuel 7-8
7 | 1 And the men of Qiryath Ye‛arim came and took the ark of יהוה, and brought it into the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ on the hill, and set apart El‛azar his son to guard the ark of יהוה.
2 And it came to be, from the day that the ark remained in Qiryath Ye‛arim, that the time increased, it came to be twenty years. And all the house of Yisra’ĕl lamented after יהוה.
3 And Shemu’ĕl spoke to all the house of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “If you return to יהוה with all your hearts, then put away the foreign mighty ones and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts for יהוה, and serve Him only, so that He delivers you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 And the children of Yisra’ĕl put away the Ba‛als and Ashtaroth, and served יהוה only.
5 And Shemu’ĕl said, “Gather all Yisra’ĕl to Mitspah and let me pray to יהוה for you.”
6 And they gathered to Mitspah and drew water, and poured it out before יהוה. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against יהוה.” And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled the children of Yisra’ĕl at Mitspah.
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Yisra’ĕl had gathered together at Mitspah, the princes of the Philistines went up against Yisra’ĕl. And the children of Yisra’ĕl heard of it, and were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not cease to cry out to יהוה our Elohim for us, that He would save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 And Shemu’ĕl took a suckling lamb and offered it as a burnt offering, completely, to יהוה. And Shemu’ĕl cried out to יהוה for Yisra’ĕl, and יהוה answered him.
10 And it came to be, as Shemu’ĕl offered up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Yisra’ĕl. But יהוה thundered with a great noise on that day on the Philistines, and troubled them, and they were smitten before Yisra’ĕl.
11 And the men of Yisra’ĕl went out from Mitspah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Bĕyth Kar.
12 And Shemu’ĕl took a stone and set it up between Mitspah and Shĕn, and called its name Eḇen Ha‛ĕzer, saying, “Thus far יהוה has helped us.”
13 Thus the Philistines were humbled, and no longer came into the border of Yisra’ĕl. And the hand of יהוה was against the Philistines all the days of Shemu’ĕl.
14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Yisra’ĕl were returned to Yisra’ĕl, from Eqron to Gath. And Yisra’ĕl recovered its border from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Yisra’ĕl and the Amorites.
15 And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl all the days of his life,
16 and each year he made the rounds of Bĕyth Ěl, and Gilgal, and Mitspah, and rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl in all those places.
17 Then he returned to Ramah, for his home was there. And there he rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl, and there he built an altar to יהוה.
8 | 1 And it came to be, when Shemu’ĕl was old, that he made his sons rulers over Yisra’ĕl.
2 And the name of his first-born was Yo’ĕl, and the name of his second, Aḇiyah, rulers in Be’ĕrsheḇa.
3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, and turned aside after own gain, and took bribes, and twisted right-ruling.
4 And all the elders of Yisra’ĕl gathered together and came to Shemu’ĕl at Ramah,
5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a sovereign to rule us like all the nations.”
6 But the word was evil in the eyes of Shemu’ĕl when they said, “Give us a sovereign to rule us.” So Shemu’ĕl prayed to יהוה.
7 And יהוה said to Shemu’ĕl, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.
8 “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitsrayim, even to this day – forsaking Me and serving other mighty ones – so they are doing to you too.
9 “And now, listen to their voice, but you shall certainly warn them, and shall make known to them the ruling of the sovereign who does reign over them.”
10 And Shemu’ĕl spoke all the words of יהוה to the people who asked him for a sovereign,
11 and said, “This is the ruling of the sovereign who does reign over you: He shall take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots,
12 and appoint commanders over his thousands and commanders over his fifties, or to plough his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons, and equipment for his chariots.
13 “And your daughters he is going to take to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.
14 “And the best of your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-trees he is going to take and give them to his servants.
15 “And a tenth of your grain and your vintage he is going to take and give it to his officers and servants.
16 “And your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys he is going to take and use for his own work.
17 “A tenth of your sheep he is going to take, and you are to be his servants.
18 “And you shall cry out in that day because of your sovereign whom you have chosen for yourselves, but יהוה is not going to answer you in that day.”
19 However, the people refused to listen to the voice of Shemu’ĕl, and said, “No, but let a sovereign be over us.
20 Then we shall be, we also, like all the nations, and our sovereign shall rule us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 And Shemu’ĕl heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of יהוה.
22 And יהוה said to Shemu’ĕl, “Listen to their voice, and make them a sovereign.” And Shemu’ĕl said to the men of Yisra’ĕl, “Each of you go to his city.”
Acts 20
20 | 1 After the uproar had ceased, Sha’ul called the taught ones to him, and having embraced them, went away to go to Makedonia.
2 And having gone through those parts, and having encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece,
3 where he spent three months. When he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Makedonia, as a plot was made against him by the Yehuḏim.
4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Beroia, and Aristarchos and Sekundos of the Thessalonians, and Gaios of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tuchikos and Trophimos of Asia.
5 And these, going ahead, waited for us at Troas.
6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
7 And on the first day of the week, the taught ones having gathered together to break bread, Sha’ul, intending to depart the next day, was reasoning with them and was extending the word till midnight.
8 And there were many lamps in the upper room where they were assembled.
9 And a certain young man, by name Eutuchos, was sitting in a window, being overpowered by a deep sleep. As Sha’ul kept on reasoning, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third storey, and was picked up dead.
10 And Sha’ul, having gone down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not be upset, for his life is in him.”
11 Then going up again, and having broken bread and eaten, he talked a long while, even till daybreak, and so went forth.
12 And they brought the young man in alive, and were encouraged, not a little.
13 And we, going ahead to the ship, sailed to Assos, intending to take Sha’ul on board there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go on foot.
14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitulene.
15 And from there we sailed, and the next day came opposite Chios. And the next day we arrived at Samos and remained at Trogullion. And the following day we came to Miletos.
16 For Sha’ul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might lose no time in Asia, for he was hurrying to be at Yerushalayim, if possible, on the Day of the Festival of Weeks.
17 And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called for the elders of the assembly.
18 And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, how I was with you all the time,
19 serving the Master with all humility, with many tears and trials which befell me by the plotting of the Yehuḏim,
20 as I kept back no matter that was profitable, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
21 witnessing to Yehuḏim, and also to Greeks: repentance toward Elohim and belief in our Master יהושע Messiah.
22 “And now see, I go bound in the spirit to Yerushalayim, not knowing what is going to meet me there,
23 except that the Set-apart Spirit witnesses in every city, saying that chains and pressures await me.
24 “But I do not count my life of any value to me, so that I might accomplish my mission with joy, and the service which I received from the Master יהושע, to bear witness to the Good News of the favour of Elohim.
25 “And now see, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the reign of Elohim, shall see my face no more.
26 “Therefore I witness to you this day that I am clear from the blood of all.
27 “For I kept not back from declaring to you all the counsel of Elohim.
28 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Set-apart Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of Elohim which He has purchased with His own blood.
29 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves shall come in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 “Also from among yourselves men shall arise, speaking distorted teachings, to draw away the taught ones after themselves.
31 “Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn each one with tears.
32 “And now, brothers, I commit you to Elohim and to the word of His favour, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those having been set apart.
33 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or garments.
34 “And you yourselves know that these hands supplied my needs, and for those who were with me.
35 “All this I did show you, by labouring like this, that you ought to help the weak. And remember the words of the Master יהושע, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And having said this, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
37 And there was much weeping among them all, and falling on Sha’ul’s neck, they kissed him,
38 distressed most of all because of the word which he had said, that they would see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship.
Job 25-27
25 | 1 And Bildaḏ the Shuḥite answered and said,
2 “Rule and fear belong to Him, making peace in His high places.
3 Is there any number to His armies? And on whom does His light not rise?
4 So how could man be righteous before Ěl? Or how could he be flawless who is born of a woman?
5 See, even the moon does not shine, and the stars have not been flawless in His eyes,
6 how much less man, a maggot, and a son of man, a worm?”
26 | 1 And Iyoḇ answered and said,
2 “How have you helped the powerless, saved an arm not strong?
3 How have you given counsel to the unwise, or declared sound advice to many?
4 With whom have you spoken words? And whose spirit came from you?
5 The dead wait – those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
6 The grave is naked before Him, and destruction has no covering.
7 He it was who stretched out the north over emptiness, hanging the earth upon space,
8 binding up waters in His thick clouds, and the cloud is not torn under them,
9 covering the surface of His throne, spreading His cloud over it.
10 He drew a limit on the surface of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The columns of the heavens tremble, and are stunned at His reproof.
12 By His power He has calmed the sea, and by His understanding He struck down Rahaḇ.
13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens. His hand whirled the fleeing serpent.
14 See, these are the fringes of His ways, and how little a matter is heard of Him! And who understands the thunder of His power?”
27 | 1 And Iyoḇ again took up his discourse, and said,
2 “As Ěl lives, who has turned aside my right-ruling, and the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
3 as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of Eloah in my nostrils,
4 my lips do not speak unrighteousness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me that I grant that you are right. Until I die I would not turn aside my integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and I do not let it go. My heart does not reproach me as long as I live.
7 Let my enemy be like the wrongdoer, and he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
8 For what is the expectancy of the defiled one, when He does cut off, when Eloah takes away his life?
9 Would Ěl hear his cry when distress comes upon him?
10 Would he delight himself in the Almighty – call on Eloah at all times?
11 Let me teach you by the hand of Ěl, that which is with the Almighty I do not hide.
12 See, all of you have seen it. Why then are you altogether vain?
13 This is the portion of a wrong man with Ěl, and the inheritance of cruel ones, which they receive from the Almighty:
14 If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not have enough to eat.
15 Those who remain of him are buried in death, and their widows do not weep.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust, and lays up garments like clay –
17 he lays up, but the righteous puts it on, and the innocent divides the silver.
18 He built his house like a moth, like a booth which a watchman made.
19 He lies down, a rich man, but he is not gathered. When he opens his eyes, it is no more!
20 Alarms overtake him like a flood; a storm wind shall steal him away in the night.
21 The east wind takes him away, and he is gone; for it sweeps him from his place.
22 And it hurls itself against him and does not spare; he swiftly flees from its power.
23 It claps its hands at him, and it hisses him out of his place.
Letter of Jeremiah 1
(CEPHER TRANSLATION)
1| 1 A COPY of a cepher, which Yirmeyahu sent unto them which were to be led captives into Babel by the king of the inhabitants of Babel, to certify them, as it was commanded him of ELOHIYM.
2 ‘Because of the sins which ye have committed before ELOHIYM, ye shall be led away captives into Babel by Nevukadne’tstsar king of the inhabitants of Babel.
3 ‘So when ye are come unto Babel, ye shall remain there many years, and for a long season, namely, seven generations: and after that I will bring you away peaceably from thence.
4 ‘Now shall ye see in Babel elohiym of silver, and of gold, and of wood, borne upon shoulders, which cause the nations to fear.
5 ‘Beware therefore that ye in no wise be like to strangers, neither be ye and of them, when ye see the multitude before them and behind them, worshipping them.
6 ‘But say ye in your hearts, O YAHUAH, we must worship you.
7 ‘For my Angel is with you, and I myself caring for your souls.
8 ‘As for their tongue, it is polished by the workman, and they themselves are gilded and laid over with silver; yet are they but false, and cannot speak.
9 ‘And taking gold, as it were for a virgin that loves fine ornaments, they make crowns for the heads of their elohiym.
10 ‘Sometimes also the priests convey from their elohiym gold and silver, and bestow it upon themselves.
11 ‘Yea, they will give thereof to the common harlots, and deck them as men with garments, being elohiym of silver, and elohiym of gold, and wood.
12 ‘Yet cannot these elohiym save themselves from rust and moth, though they be covered with purple raiment.
13 ‘They wipe their faces because of the dust of the Temple, when there is much upon them.
14 ‘And he that cannot put to death one that offends him holds a sceptre, as though he were a judge of the country.
15 ‘He has also in his right hand a dagger and an ax: but cannot deliver himself from war and thieves.
16 ‘Whereby they are known not to be elohiym: therefore fear them not.
17 ‘For like as a vessel that a man uses is nothing worth when it is broken; even so it is with their elohiym: when they be set up in the temple, their eyes be full of dust through the feet of them that come in.
18 ‘And as the doors are made sure on every side upon him that offends the king, as being committed to suffer death: even so the priests make fast their temples with doors, with locks, and bars, lest their elohiym be spoiled with robbers.
19 ‘They light them candles, yea, more than for themselves, whereof they cannot see one.
20 ‘They are as one of the beams of the Temple, yet they say their hearts are gnawed upon by things creeping out of the earth; and when they eat them and their clothes, they feel it not.
21 ‘Their faces are blacked through the smoke that comes out of the Temple.
22 ‘Upon their bodies and heads sit bats, swallows, and birds, and the cats also.
23 ‘By this ye may know that they are no elohiym: therefore fear them not.
24 ‘Notwithstanding the gold that is about them to make them beautiful, except they wipe off the rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten did they feel it.
25 ‘The things wherein there is no breath are bought for a most high price.
26 ‘They are borne upon shoulders, having no feet whereby they declare unto men that they be nothing worth.
27 ‘They also that serve them are ashamed: for if they fall to the ground at any time, they cannot rise up again of themselves: neither, if one set them upright, can they move of themselves: neither, if they be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they set gifts before them as unto dead men.
28 ‘As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, their priests sell and abuse; in like manner their women lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it.
29 ‘Menstruous women and women in childbed eat their sacrifices: by these things ye may know that they are no elohiym: fear them not.
30 ‘For how can they be called elohiym? because women set meat before the elohiym of silver, gold, and wood.
31 ‘And the priests sit in their temples, having their clothes rent, and their heads and beards shaven, and nothing upon their heads.
32 ‘They roar and cry before their elohiym, as men do at the feast when one is dead.
33 ‘The priests also take off their garments, and clothe their women and children.
34 ‘Whether it be evil that one does unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither set up a king, nor put him down.
35 ‘In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money: though a man make a vow unto them, and keep it not, they will not require it.
36 ‘They can save no man from death, neither deliver the weak from the mighty.
37 ‘They cannot restore a blind man to his sight, nor help any man in his distress.
38 ‘They can show no mercy to the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
39 ‘Their elohiym of wood, and which are overlaid with gold and silver, are like the stones that be hewn out of the mountain: they that worship them shall be confounded.
40 ‘How should a man then think and say that they are elohiym, when even the Kasdiym themselves dishonour them?
41 Who if they shall see one dumb that cannot speak, they bring him, and intreat Ba`al that he may speak, as though he were able to understand.
42 ‘Yet they cannot understand this themselves, and leave them: for they have no knowledge.
43 ‘The women also with cords about them, sitting in the ways, burn bran for perfume: but if any of them, drawn by some that passes by, lie with him, she reproaches her fellow, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken.
44 ‘Whatsoever is done among them is false: how may it then be thought or said that they are elohiym?
45 ‘They are made of carpenters and goldsmiths: they can be nothing else than the workmen will have them to be.
46 ‘And they themselves that made them can never continue long; how should then the things that are made of them be elohiym?
47 ‘For they left lies and reproaches to them that come after.
48 ‘For when there comes any war or plague upon them, the priests consult with themselves, where they may be hidden with them.
49 ‘How then cannot men perceive that they be no elohiym, which can neither save themselves from war, nor from plague?
50 ‘For seeing they be but of wood, and overlaid with silver and gold, it shall be known hereafter that they are false:
51 ‘And it shall manifestly appear to all nations and kings that they are no elohiym, but the works of men’s hands, and that there is no work of ELOHIYM in them.
52 ‘Who then may not know that they are no elohiym?
53 ‘For neither can they set up a king in the land, nor give rain unto men.
54 ‘Neither can they judge their own cause, nor redress a wrong, being unable: for they are as crows between heaven and earth.
55 ‘Whereupon when fire falls upon the house of elohiym of wood, or laid over with gold or silver, their priests will flee away, and escape; but they themselves shall be burned asunder like beams.
56 ‘Moreover they cannot withstand any king or enemies: how can it then be thought or said that they be elohiym?
57 ‘Neither are those elohiym of wood, and laid over with silver or gold, able to escape either from thieves or robbers.
58 ‘Whose gold, and silver, and garments wherewith they are clothed, they that are strong take, and go away withal: neither are they able to help themselves.
59 ‘Therefore it is better to be a king that shows his power, or else a profitable vessel in a house, which the owner shall have use of, than such false elohiym; or to be a door in a house, to keep such things therein, than such false elohiym, or a pillar of wood in a palace, than such false elohiym.
60 ‘For sun, moon, and stars, being bright and sent to do their offices, are obedient.
61 ‘In like manner the lightning when it breaks forth is easy to be seen; and after the same manner the wind blows in every country.
62 ‘And when ELOHIYM commands the clouds to go over the whole world, they do as they are bidden.
63 ‘And the fire sent from above to consume hills and woods does as it is commanded: but these are like unto them neither in show nor power.
64 ‘Wherefore it is neither to be supposed nor said that they are elohiym, seeing, they are able neither to judge causes, nor to do good unto men.
65 ‘Knowing therefore that they are no elohiym, fear them not,
66 ‘For they can neither curse nor bless kings:
67 ‘Neither can they show signs in the heavens among the heathen, nor shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon.
68 ‘The beasts are better than they: for they can get under a cover and help themselves.
69 ‘It is then by no means manifest unto us that they are elohiym: therefore fear them not.
70 ‘For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keeps nothing: so are their elohiym of wood, and laid over with silver and gold.
71 ‘And likewise their elohiym of wood, and laid over with silver and gold, are like to a white thorn in an orchard, that every bird sits upon; as also to a dead body, that is east into the dark.
72 ‘And ye shall know them to be no elohiym by the bright purple that rots upon them: and they themselves afterward shall be eaten, and shall be a reproach in the country.
73 Better therefore is the just man that has none idols: for he shall be far from reproach.
Thank you for joining us as we read through the entire WORD of GOD! As for me and My House, we will serve the LORD.
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