Acts 14; Joshua 22; Job 31

Acts 14

1 The same thing happened in Iconium; they entered the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers.

3 So they stayed there for some time and spoke boldly, in reliance on the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by granting that signs and wonders be performed through them.

4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the apostles.

5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to assault and stone them,

6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns called Lystra and Derbe, and to the surrounding countryside.

7 And there they kept evangelizing.

8 In Lystra a man without strength in his feet, lame from birth, and who had never walked, sat

9 and heard Paul speaking. After observing him closely and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

10 [Paul] said in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he jumped up and started to walk around.

11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the form of men!"

12 And they started to call Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker.

13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He, with the crowds, intended to offer sacrifice.

14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting:

15 "Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them .

16 In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own way,

17 although He did not leave Himself without a witness, since He did good: giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and satisfying your hearts with food and happiness."

18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.

20 After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

21 After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch,

22 strengthening the hearts of the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith, and by telling them, "It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God."

23 When they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.

25 After they spoke the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26 From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had completed.

27 After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

28 And they spent a considerable time with the disciples.

Joshua 22

1 Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh,

2 and told them, "You have done everything Moses the Lord's servant commanded you and have obeyed me in everything I commanded you.

3 You have not deserted your brothers even once this whole time but have carried out the requirement of the command of the Lord your God.

4 Now that He has given your brothers rest, just as He promised them, return to your homes in your own land that Moses the Lord's servant gave you across the Jordan.

5 Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord's servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, remain faithful to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul."

6 Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.

7 Moses had given [territory] to half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, but Joshua had given [territory] to the other half, with their brothers, on the west side of the Jordan. When Joshua sent them to their homes and blessed them,

8 he said, "Return to your homes with great wealth: a huge number of cattle, and silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a large quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

9 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to go to their own land of Gilead, which they took possession of according to the Lord's command through Moses.

10 When they came to the region of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh built a large, impressive altar there by the Jordan.

11 Then the Israelites heard [it] said, "Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan at the region of the Jordan, on the Israelite side."

12 When the Israelites heard [this], the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead.

14 [They sent] 10 leaders with him-one family leader for each tribe of Israel. All of them were heads of their families among the clans of Israel.

15 They went to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and told them,

16 "This is what the Lord's entire community says: 'What is this treachery you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the Lord and building an altar for yourselves, so that you are in rebellion against the Lord today?

17 Wasn't the sin of Peor, which brought a plague on the Lord's community, enough for us, so that we have not cleansed ourselves from it even to this day,

18 and now, you would turn away from the Lord? If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow He will be angry with the entire community of Israel.

19 But if the land you possess is defiled, cross over to the land the Lord possesses where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and take possession [of it] among us. But don't rebel against the Lord or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the Lord our God.

20 Wasn't Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath on the entire community of Israel? He was not the only one who perished because of his sin.' "

21 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the Israelite clans,

22 "The Lord is the God of gods! The Lord is the God of gods! He knows, and may Israel also know. Do not spare us today, if [it was] in rebellion or treachery against the Lord

23 that we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him. May the Lord Himself hold us accountable if [we intended] to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it.

24 We actually did this from a specific concern that in the future your descendants might say to our descendants, 'What relationship do you have with the Lord, the God of Israel?

25 For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between us and you descendants of Reuben and Gad. You have no share in the Lord!' So your descendants may cause our descendants to stop fearing the Lord.

26 "Therefore we said: Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offering or sacrifice.

27 Instead, it is to be a witness between us and you, and between the generations after us, so that we may carry out the worship of the Lord in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and fellowship offerings. Then in the future, your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, 'You have no share in the Lord!'

28 We thought that if they said this to us or to our generations in the future, we would reply: Look at the replica of the Lord's altar that our fathers made, not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you.

29 We would never rebel against the Lord or turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the Lord our God, which is in front of His tabernacle."

30 When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders, the heads of Israel's clans who were with him, heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased.

31 Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, "Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against Him. As a result, you have delivered the Israelites from the Lord's power."

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report to them.

33 The Israelites were pleased with the report, and they praised God. They spoke no more about going to war against them to ravage the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.

34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar: It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.

Job 31

1 I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I look at a young woman?

2 For what portion [would I have] from God above, or [what] inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3 Doesn't disaster come to the wicked and misfortune to evildoers?

4 Does He not see my ways and number all my steps?

5 If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

6 let God weigh me with an accurate balance, and He will recognize my integrity.

7 If my step has turned from the way, my heart has followed my eyes, or impurity has stained my hands,

8 let someone else eat what I have sown, and let my crops be uprooted.

9 If my heart has been seduced by [my neighbor's] wife or I have lurked at his door,

10 let my own wife grind [grain] for another man, and let other men sleep with her.

11 For that would be a disgrace; it would be a crime deserving punishment.

12 For it is a fire that consumes down to Abaddon; it would destroy my entire harvest.

13 If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me,

14 what could I do when God stands up [to judge]? How should I answer Him when He calls [me] to account?

15 Did not the One who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same God form us both in the womb?

16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor or let the widow's eyes go blind,

17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone without letting the fatherless eat any of it-

18 for from my youth, I raised him as [his] father, and since the day I was born I guided the widow-

19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing or a needy person without a cloak,

20 if he did not bless me while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

21 if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child when I saw that I had support in the [city] gate,

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back, and my arm be pulled from its socket.

23 For disaster from God terrifies me, and because of His majesty I could not do [these things].

24 If I placed my confidence in gold or called fine gold my trust,

25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great or because my own hand has acquired [so] much,

26 if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining or at the moon moving in splendor,

27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and I threw them a kiss,

28 this would also be a crime deserving punishment, for I would have denied God above.

29 Have I rejoiced over my enemy's distress, or become excited when trouble came his way?

30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.

31 Haven't the members of my household said, "Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job's table?"

32 No stranger had to spend the night on the street, for I opened my door to the traveler.

33 Have I covered my transgressions as others do by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 because I greatly feared the crowds, and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so I grew silent and would not go outside?

35 If only I had someone to hear my [case]! Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me. Let my Opponent compose [His] indictment.

36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

37 I would give Him an account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.

38 If my land cries out against me and its furrows join in weeping,

39 if I have consumed its produce without payment or shown contempt for its tenants,

40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley. The words of Job are concluded.