1 Chronicles 22; 1 Chronicles 23; 1 Chronicles 24; John 8:28-59

1 Chronicles 22

1 So David said, "This is where the Temple of the Lord God will be. Here is the altar where the people of Israel are to offer burnt offerings."

2 King David gave orders for all the foreigners living in the land of Israel to assemble, and he put them to work. Some of them prepared stone blocks for building the Temple.

3 He supplied a large amount of iron for making nails and clamps for the wooden gates, and so much bronze that no one could weigh it.

4 He had the people of Tyre and Sidon bring him a large number of cedar logs.

5 David thought, "The Temple that my son Solomon is to build must be splendid and world-famous. But he is young and inexperienced, so I must make preparations for it." So David got large amounts of the materials ready before he died.

6 He sent for his son Solomon and commanded him to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.

7 David said to him, "Son, I wanted to build a temple to honor the Lord my God.

8 But the Lord told me that I had killed too many people and fought too many wars. And so, because of all the bloodshed I have caused, he would not let me build a temple for him.

9 He did, however, make me a promise. He said, "You will have a son who will rule in peace, because I will give him peace from all his enemies. His name will be Solomon, because during his reign I will give Israel peace and security.

10 He will build a temple for me. He will be my son, and I will be his father. His dynasty will rule Israel forever.' "

11 David continued, "Now, son, may the Lord your God be with you, and may he keep his promise to make you successful in building a temple for him.

12 And may the Lord your God give you insight and wisdom so that you may govern Israel according to his Law.

13 If you obey all the laws which the Lord gave to Moses for Israel, you will be successful. Be determined and confident, and don't let anything make you afraid.

14 As for the Temple, by my efforts I have accumulated almost four thousand tons of gold and nearly forty thousand tons of silver to be used in building it. Besides that, there is an unlimited supply of bronze and iron. I also have wood and stone ready, but you must get more.

15 You have many workers. There are stonecutters to work in the quarries, and there are masons and carpenters, as well as a large number of skilled workers of every sort who can work

16 with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Now begin the work, and may the Lord be with you."

17 David commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon.

18 He said, "The Lord your God has been with you and given you peace on all sides. He let me conquer all the people who used to live in this land, and they are now subject to you and to the Lord.

19 Now serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Start building the Temple, so that you can place in it the Covenant Box of the Lord and all the other sacred objects used in worshiping him."

1 Chronicles 23

1 When David was very old, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

2 King David brought together all the Israelite leaders and all the priests and Levites.

3 He took a census of all the male Levites aged thirty or older. The total was thirty-eight thousand.

4 The king assigned twenty-four thousand to administer the work of the Temple, six thousand to keep records and decide disputes

5 four thousand to do guard duty, and four thousand to praise the Lord, using the musical instruments provided by the king for this purpose.

6 David divided the Levites into three groups, according to their clans: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7 Gershon had two sons: Ladan and Shimei.

8 Ladan had three sons: Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel,

9 who were the heads of the clans descended from Ladan. (Shimei had three sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran.)

10 Shimei had four sons: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah, in order of age. Jeush and Beriah did not have many descendants, so they were counted as one clan.

12 Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

13 His oldest son, Amram, was the father of Aaron and Moses. (Aaron and his descendants were set apart to be in charge of the sacred objects forever, to burn incense in the worship of the Lord, to serve him, and to bless the people in his name.

14 But the sons of Moses, the man of God, were included among the Levites.

15 Moses had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.

16 The leader among Gershom's sons was Shebuel.

17 Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, but Rehabiah had many descendants.

18 Kohath's second son, Izhar, had a son, Shelomith, the head of the clan.

19 Kohath's third son, Hebron, had four sons: Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam

20 Kohath's fourth son, Uzziel, had two sons, Micah and Isshiah.

21 Merari had two sons, Mahli and Mushi. Mahli also had two sons, Eleazar and Kish

22 but Eleazar died without having any sons, only daughters. His daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish.

23 Merari's second son, Mushi, had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.

24 These were the descendants of Levi, by clans and families, every one of them registered by name. Each of his descendants, twenty years of age or older, had a share in the work of the Lord's Temple.

25 David said, "The Lord God of Israel has given peace to his people, and he himself will live in Jerusalem forever.

26 So there is no longer any need for the Levites to carry the Tent of the Lord's presence and all the equipment used in worship."

27 On the basis of David's final instructions all Levites were registered for service when they reached the age of twenty,

28 and were assigned the following duties: to help the priests descended from Aaron with the Temple worship, to take care of its courtyards and its rooms, and to keep undefiled everything that is sacred;

29 to be responsible for the bread offered to God, the flour used in offerings, the wafers made without yeast, the baked offerings, and the flour mixed with olive oil; to weigh and measure the Temple offerings;

30 and to praise and glorify the Lord every morning and every evening

31 and whenever offerings to the Lord are burned on the Sabbath, the New Moon Festival, and other festivals. Rules were made specifying the number of Levites assigned to do this work each time. The Levites were assigned the duty of worshiping the Lord for all time.

32 They were given the responsibility of taking care of the Tent of the Lord's presence and the Temple, and of assisting their relatives, the priests descended from Aaron, in the Temple worship.

1 Chronicles 24

1 These are the groups to which the descendants of Aaron belong. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and left no descendants, so their brothers Eleazar and Ithamar became priests.

3 King David organized the descendants of Aaron into groups according to their duties. He was assisted in this by Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and by Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar.

4 The descendants of Eleazar were organized into sixteen groups, while the descendants of Ithamar were organized into eight; this was done because there were more male heads of families among the descendants of Eleazar.

5 Since there were Temple officials and spiritual leaders among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar, assignments were made by drawing lots.

6 The descendants of Eleazar and of Ithamar took turns drawing lots. Then they were registered by Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite secretary. The king, his officials, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of the priestly families and of the Levite families, were all witnesses.

7 This is the order in which the twenty-four family groups were given their assignments: 1) Jehoiarib; 2) Jedaiah; 3) Harim; 4) Seorim; 5) Malchijah; 6) Mijamin; 7) Hakkoz; 8) Abijah; 9) Jeshua; 10) Shecaniah; 11) Eliashib; 12) Jakim; 13) Huppah; 14) Jeshebeab; 15) Bilgah; 16) Immer; 17) Hezir; 18) Happizzez; 19) Pethahiah; 20) Jehezkel; 21) Jachin; 22) Gamul; 23) Delaiah; 24) Maaziah.

19 These men were registered according to their assignments for going to the Temple and performing the duties established by their ancestor Aaron in obedience to the commands of the Lord God of Israel.

20 These are other heads of families descended from Levi: Jehdeiah, a descendant of Amram through Shebuel;

21 Isshiah, a descendant of Rehabiah;

22 Jahath, a descendant of Izhar through Shelomith;

23 Jeriah, Amariah, Jehaziel, and Jekameam, sons of Hebron, in order of age;

24 Shamir, a descendant of Uzziel through Micah;

25 Zechariah, a descendant of Uzziel through Isshiah, Micah's brother;

26 Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah, descendants of Merari.

27 Jaaziah had three sons: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

28 Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish. Eleazar had no sons, but Kish had one son, Jerahmeel.

30 Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth. These are the families of the Levites.

31 The head of each family and one of his younger brothers drew lots for their assignments, just as their relatives, the priests descended from Aaron, had done. King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites were witnesses.

John 8:28-59

28 So he said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that "I Am Who I Am'; then you will know that I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say.

29 And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him."

30 Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.

31 So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;

32 you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33 "We are the descendants of Abraham," they answered, "and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, "You will be free'?"

34 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin.

35 A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there forever.

36 If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free.

37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not accept my teaching.

38 I talk about what my Father has shown me, but you do what your father has told you."

39 They answered him, "Our father is Abraham." "If you really were Abraham's children," Jesus replied, "you would do the same things that he did.

40 All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this!

41 You are doing what your father did." "God himself is the only Father we have," they answered, "and we are his true children."

42 Jesus said to them, "If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me.

43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message.

44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.

45 But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me.

46 Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me?

47 He who comes from God listens to God's words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen."

48 They asked Jesus, "Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?"

49 "I have no demon," Jesus answered. "I honor my Father, but you dishonor me.

50 I am not seeking honor for myself. But there is one who is seeking it and who judges in my favor.

51 I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys my teaching will never die."

52 They said to him, "Now we know for sure that you have a demon! Abraham died, and the prophets died, yet you say that whoever obeys your teaching will never die.

53 Our father Abraham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died. Who do you think you are?"

54 Jesus answered, "If I were to honor myself, that honor would be worth nothing. The one who honors me is my Father - the very one you say is your God.

55 You have never known him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his word.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad."

57 They said to him, "You are not even fifty years old - and you have seen Abraham?"

58 "I am telling you the truth," Jesus replied. "Before Abraham was born, "I Am'."

59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.