Daniel 3 Cross References - LEB

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent directions to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all of the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³ Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province were assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and were standing _⌊before_⌋* the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,* "To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,* O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,* ⁵ that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶ And _⌊whoever_⌋* does not fall down and worship will be thrown _⌊immediately_⌋* into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire." ⁷ _⌊Therefore_⌋,* _⌊at that time_⌋,* _⌊as soon as_⌋* all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, _⌊the nations and people of all languages_⌋* were falling down and were worshiping the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ⁸ _⌊Therefore_⌋* _⌊at this time_⌋* some _⌊astrologers_⌋* came forward and _⌊they denounced the Jews_⌋.* ⁹ _⌊They responded and said_⌋* to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may you live _⌊forever_⌋!* ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that _⌊everyone_⌋* who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.* ¹¹ _⌊And whoever_⌋* _⌊does not fall down_⌋* and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ¹² However there are Judean men whom you have appointed* over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, _⌊pay you no heed_⌋* and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold* that you set up they are not worshiping." ¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you are not serving my god, and you are not worshiping the statue of gold* that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?" ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter _⌊to present a defense to you_⌋.* ¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. ¹⁸ And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that _⌊we will not serve your gods_⌋,* and the statue of gold* that you have set up we will not worship." ¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed _⌊toward_⌋* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, so he _⌊ordered and said_⌋* to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat it up. ²⁰ And he commanded _⌊the strongest men of the guards_⌋* who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ²² _⌊Therefore_⌋* _⌊because_⌋* the word of the king was severe and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed these men who lifted up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. ²³ But these men, the three of them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and they were bound. ²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste and he asked, saying to his advisers, "Did we not throw three men, bound, into the midst of the fire? They answered, saying to the king, "Certainly, O king!" ²⁵ _⌊He answered_⌋,* saying, "Look, I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire and there is no damage to them, and the* appearance of the fourth man resembles the son of a god." ²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire, and he called out, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, _⌊servants_⌋* of the Most High God, come out* and come here!" ²⁷ And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the advisors of the king were assembling, and they saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was* not singed, and their garments were not harmed, and the smell of fire did not come from them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar _⌊responded_⌋,* saying, "Blessed be their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel* and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they did not serve and did not worship any god except their God. ²⁹ And from me _⌊is set forth_⌋* a decree that any people, nation, or language that may utter criticism against their God—the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—will be broken into pieces and their* house will be made like ruins. _⌊For_⌋* there is not another God who is able to rescue like this God." ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

²³ You will not make alongside me gods of silver, and gods of gold you will not make for yourselves.

² And Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring it to me." ³ And all the people took off the rings of gold that were on their ears and brought it to Aaron. ⁴ And he took from their hand, and he shaped it with a tool, and he made it a cast-image bull calf, and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."

³¹ And Moses returned to Yahweh, and he said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin and made for themselves gods of gold.

²⁵ You shall burn the images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, and so you take it for yourself, so that you are not ensnared by it, for it is a detestable thing to Yahweh your God.

²⁶ The weight of the ornamental rings of gold that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, apart from the crescents, pendants, and purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and apart from the pendants that were on the necks of their camels. ²⁷ Gideon made an ephod out of it, and he put it in his town in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

²⁸ And the king had decided, so he made two golden calves and he said to them,* "_⌊You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough_⌋;* here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."

¹⁷ Truly, O Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have utterly destroyed the nations and their land. ¹⁸ He has hurled their gods in the fire because they are not gods, but the work of the hands of a human made of wood and stone, so they destroyed them.

¹ And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush*—over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.*

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. ⁵ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ⁶ they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ⁷ they have their hands, but they cannot feel, their feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot utter a sound in their throats. ⁸ Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of humankind.

²⁰ On that day humanity will throw away its idols of silver and its idols of gold, which they made for it to worship, to the rodents* and to the bats—

²² And you will defile the plating of your silver idols and the covering of your gold image. You will scatter them like contaminated things;* you will say to it, "Filth!"*

¹⁹ A craftsman pours out the idol, and a _⌊goldsmith_⌋* overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. ²⁰ The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over. ²¹ Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the _⌊beginning_⌋?* Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? ²² He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, ²³ the one who brings* princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. ²⁴ Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when* he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. ²⁵ "And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?" says the holy one. ²⁶ Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, no man is missing. ²⁷ _⌊Why_⌋* do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, "My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?" ²⁸ Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. ²⁹ He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for _⌊the powerless_⌋.* ³⁰ Even* young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. ³¹ But* those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings* like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.

⁶ Those who lavish gold from the purse and weigh out silver in the balance scales; hire _⌊a goldsmith_⌋* and he makes him a god; they bow down, indeed they bow in worship.

⁹ Silver beaten from Tarshish is brought, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and the hands of the goldsmith. Blue and purple are their clothing, all of them are the work of skillful people.

²⁰ Can a human make for himself gods? Yet they are not gods!"

³¹ "You, O king, were looking and, look, there was one great statue. This statue was huge and its brilliance extraordinary, standing there before you, and its appearance was frightening.* ³² The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

²³ And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,* your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from* them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone* that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God _⌊who holds your life in his hand_⌋* and all of your ways _⌊come from him_⌋,* you have not honored.

⁴ They appointed kings, but not through me; they made officials, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves for their* own _⌊destruction_⌋.*

¹⁹ Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Wake up!' And to a lifeless stone, 'Arise!' Can he teach? Look, it is covered with gold and silver, and there is no breath within it.

²⁹ Therefore, because we* are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

²⁶ and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia* this man Paul has persuaded and* turned away a large crowd by* saying that the gods made by hands are not gods.

²⁰ And the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, _⌊in order not to worship_⌋* the demons and the gold and silver and bronze and stone and wooden idols, which are able neither to see nor to hear nor to walk,

⁴ And he took from their hand, and he shaped it with a tool, and he made it a cast-image bull calf, and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." ⁵ And Aaron saw, and he built an altar before it, and Aaron called, and he said, "A feast for Yahweh tomorrow." ⁶ And they started early the next day, and they offered burnt offerings, and they presented fellowship offerings, and the people sat to eat and drink, and they rose up to revel.

² And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and worshiped their gods.

²³ The rulers of the Philistines had gathered to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

³² Jeroboam also inaugurated a religious feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the religious feast which was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. Thus he did in Bethel, by sacrificing to the calves that he had made; and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

¹² A ruler listening to a word of falsehood, all his officials are wicked.

²⁷ And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the advisors of the king were assembling, and they saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was* not singed, and their garments were not harmed, and the smell of fire did not come from them.

¹ _⌊It pleased Darius_⌋,* and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were _⌊throughout the whole kingdom_⌋,* ² and over them were three administrators, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss. ³ Then Daniel _⌊began distinguishing himself_⌋* above the administrators and the satraps _⌊because_⌋* an exceptional spirit was in him, and so the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. ⁴ Then the other administrators and satraps _⌊began to seek_⌋* to find a pretext against Daniel _⌊in connection with the kingdom_⌋,* but they were not able to find any pretext and _⌊corruption_⌋* _⌊because_⌋* he was trustworthy, and no* negligence or _⌊corruption_⌋* _⌊could be found in him_⌋.*

⁶ So the administrators and the satraps conspired _⌊with respect to_⌋* the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!* ⁷ All of the administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel and have agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that _⌊whoever_⌋* will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you for up to thirty days will be thrown into _⌊the lion pit_⌋.*

² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who live on the earth became drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality."

¹ A psalm of Asaph.*
God stands in the divine assembly;* he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.* ² "How long will you judge unjustly and _⌊show favoritism to the wicked_⌋?* Selah ³ Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor. ⁴ Rescue the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." ⁵ They do not know or consider.* They go about in the darkness, so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken. ⁶ I have said,* "You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you. ⁷ However, you will die like men,* and you will fall like one of the princes." ⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth, because you shall inherit* all the nations.

³⁴ But when they* recognized that he was a Jew, they were shouting with one voice from all of them for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" ³⁵ And when* the city secretary had quieted the crowd, he said, "Ephesian men, for who is there among men who does not know the Ephesian city is honorary temple keeper of the great Artemis and of her* image fallen from heaven?

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles. ²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to immorality, that their bodies would be dishonored among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen. ²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over to degrading passions, for their females exchanged the natural relations for those contrary to nature, ²⁷ and likewise also the males, abandoning the natural relations with the female, were inflamed in their desire toward one another, males with males committing the shameless deed, and receiving in themselves the penalty that was necessary for their error. ²⁸ And just as they did not see fit _⌊to recognize God_⌋*, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do the things that are not proper,

¹¹ there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.

²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,* and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.* ²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to human standards,* not many were powerful, not many were well born.

¹³ And he performs great signs, so that he even causes fire from heaven to come down to the earth before people. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was given to him to put breath into the image of the beast, in order that the image of the beast both spoke and caused that all those, unless they worshiped the image of the beast, should be killed. ¹⁶ And he causes all people, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, that they give them a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

¹³ These have one opinion, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

¹⁷ For God put into their hearts to carry out his purpose and to make _⌊a unanimous decision_⌋* and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

⁹ And the secretaries of the king were summoned* at that time, in the third month, which is in the month of Sivan on the twenty-third day, and an edict was written according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the governors and satraps and officials of the provinces from India to Cush*—one hundred and twenty-seven provinces*—each province according to its own script and to every people in their own _⌊language_⌋,* and to the Jews in their own script and language.

¹³ A woman of foolishness is loud, simple, and does not know _⌊it_⌋.* ¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house, upon a throne at the high places of town, ¹⁵ in order to call to those who pass by the road, those who go straight on their way:

⁹ _⌊Get yourself_⌋* up to a high mountain, Zion, bringer of good news! Lift up your voice with strength, Jerusalem, bringer of good news! Lift it up; you must not fear! Say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"

¹ "Call with the throat; you must not keep back! lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare* to my people their rebellion, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

¹ * Nebuchadnezzar the king to all of the nations, the peoples and languages that live in the whole earth: "May your prosperity increase!

¹⁴ He cried _⌊aloud_⌋* and so he said:
"Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

²⁵ Then Darius the king wrote to all the people, the nations, and the languages living in the whole earth, "May your prosperity become great!

¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.*

¹⁶ For you have observed the regulations of Omri and all the works of the house of Ahab. And you have walked in their counsels, so that I am making you a desolation and your inhabitants an object of scorn. So you will bear the scorn of my people.

⁷ _⌊Therefore_⌋,* _⌊at that time_⌋,* _⌊as soon as_⌋* all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, _⌊the nations and people of all languages_⌋* were falling down and were worshiping the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that _⌊everyone_⌋* who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.*

¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?"

²⁸ And he looked down upon the surface of Sodom and Gomorrah, and upon the whole surface of the land, the plain. And he saw that,* behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a smelting furnace.

⁵ You will not bow down to them, and you will not serve them, because I am Yahweh your God, a jealous God, punishing the guilt of the parents on the children on the third and on the fourth generations* of those hating me,

¹⁷ And he makes the remainder of it into a god! He bows down to his idol, and he bows in worship and prays to him, and he says, "Save me, for you are my god!"

²² And a curse will be taken up because of them by all the exiles* of Judah who are in Babylon, _⌊saying_⌋,* "May Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,"

¹⁸ "Son of man,* the house of Israel has become as silver dross to me; all of them are as bronze and tin and iron and lead in the midst of a furnace, even as silver dross, silver dross they became! ¹⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: 'Because all of you have become as silver dross, therefore look! I am gathering you to the midst of Jerusalem, ²⁰ like the gathering of silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin to the middle of a furnace to blow fire on it for melting. Thus I will gather in my anger and in my rage, and I will _⌊deposit_⌋* you, and I will melt you. ²¹ And I will gather you, and I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and so I will melt you in the midst of her. ²² Thus you will be melted like the melting of silver in the midst of a furnace, and you will know that I, Yahweh, I have poured out my rage on you.'"

⁵ The king answered and said to the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its explanation,* then you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins.

¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed. ¹³ And the decree was issued, and the wise men _⌊were on the verge of being executed_⌋,* and they searched for Daniel and his companions to be executed.

¹¹ _⌊And whoever_⌋* _⌊does not fall down_⌋* and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

²¹ Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

⁷ All of the administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel and have agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that _⌊whoever_⌋* will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you for up to thirty days will be thrown into _⌊the lion pit_⌋.*

⁹ and he said to him, "I will give to you all these things, if you will fall down and* worship me."

⁴² and throw them into the fiery furnace.* In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace.* In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

²⁷ And immediately the king sent an executioner and* ordered him* to bring his head. And he went and* beheaded him in the prison.

² And he opened the shaft of the abyss, and smoke went up from the shaft like smoke from a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft.

¹⁵ And it was given to him to put breath into the image of the beast, in order that the image of the beast both spoke and caused that all those, unless they worshiped the image of the beast, should be killed. ¹⁶ And he causes all people, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, that they give them a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ and that no one was able to buy or to sell except the one who had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of his name.

¹¹ And the smoke of their torture went up _⌊forever and ever_⌋*, and those who worshiped the beast and his image did not have rest day and night, _⌊along with anyone who received_⌋* the mark of his name.

⁷ Babylon was a cup of gold in the hand of Yahweh, making drunk all the earth. The nations drank of her wine. _⌊Therefore_⌋* the nations acted like madmen.

¹⁶ who in generations that are past permitted all the nations* to go their own ways.

¹⁹ We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

⁹ And the great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

³ And one of its heads appeared as though slaughtered to death, and its _⌊fatal wound_⌋* had been healed. And the whole earth was astonished and followed after the beast.

⁸ And all those who live on the earth will worship him, _⌊everyone whose name is not written_⌋* from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.

¹⁴ And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived.

⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is going to come up from the abyss, and he is going to destruction. And those who live on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they* see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present.

²⁰ And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

¹² be it known to the king that the Jews who have come up from near you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the wall and repairing the foundation. ¹³ Now be it known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute and toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. ¹⁴ Now since we eat the salt of the palace and the dishonor of the king is not proper for us to see, we send and make this known to the king, ¹⁵ so that it may be investigated in the book of records of your ancestors.* You will find in the book of records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and they have rebelled in its midst from ancient times. Because of that this city was destroyed. ¹⁶ We make known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, you will have nothing in the province Beyond the River."

⁶ But _⌊he considered it beneath him_⌋* to lay hands on Mordecai only, for they told him of Mordecai's people, and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

⁸ And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all of the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from every other people, and they do not _⌊observe_⌋* the laws of the king; it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. ⁹ If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will pay* ten thousand talents* of silver to those who do the job, to bring to the treasury of the king."

¹⁰ The _⌊astrologers_⌋* answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; _⌊in fact_⌋,* no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician* or conjurer* or _⌊astrologer_⌋.*

¹² Then they approached _⌊and spoke with the king_⌋* concerning the edict of the king, "_⌊Did you not sign an edict_⌋* that any person who would seek anything from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into _⌊the lion pit_⌋?"* The king answered and said, "The matter as you have just stated is certain according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." ¹³ Then _⌊they responded_⌋* and said before the king, "Daniel, who is from _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah,* _⌊is not paying any attention_⌋* to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, _⌊and three times daily_⌋* he says his prayer."

²⁰ And when they* had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, ²¹ and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, because we* are Romans!" ²² And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing and* gave orders to beat them* with rods.

⁶ And when they* did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world* have come here also, ⁷ whom Jason has entertained as guests! And these people are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!" ⁸ And they threw the crowd into confusion, and the city officials who heard these things.

²² But we would like to hear from you what you think, for concerning this sect it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere."

³ For the time that has passed was sufficient _⌊to do what the Gentiles desire to do_⌋*, having lived in licentiousness, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries, ⁴ with respect to which they are surprised when* you do not run with them into the same flood of dissipation, and so they* revile you.

⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

⁴ Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,* "To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,* O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,* ⁵ that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

¹⁰ Because of the words of the king and his lords,* the queen came into _⌊the banqueting hall_⌋* and the queen _⌊spoke up_⌋* and said, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋,* and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions _⌊grow pale_⌋.*

⁶ So the administrators and the satraps conspired _⌊with respect to_⌋* the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

²¹ Then Daniel spoke to* the king, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

⁷ Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.*

¹⁶ and he said, "When you help the Hebrews give birth, you will look upon the pairs of testicles; if he is a son, you will put him to death, and if she is a daughter, she will live."

²² And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you will throw into the Nile, and every daughter you will let live."

²⁰ And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her* tambourine in her hand, and all of the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. ²¹ And Miriam answered,* "Sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted; the horse and its rider he hurled into the sea."

¹⁸ But he said, "There is not a sound of shouting of victory, and there is not a sound of shouting of defeat. I hear a sound of singing." ¹⁹ _⌊And_⌋* as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and _⌊Moses became angry_⌋,* and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain.

¹⁶ Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, _⌊raising their voices for joy_⌋.*

²⁸ And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar,* and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments.

⁵ Asaph was chief, and his second was Zechariah; Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel were on harps and lyres. And Asaph played on the cymbals. ⁶ And Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew on the trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

¹ And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work and for their duty was: ² for the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the hand* of Asaph, who prophesied under the hands* of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah,* Heshabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands* of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the stringed instrument with thanksgiving and praise to Yahweh. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were sons to Heman, the seer of the king, according to the words of God to raise a horn.* And God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. ⁶ All these were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of their father in the music of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of the king.

²⁵ And he stood the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the command of David and Gad, the seer of the king, and Nathan the prophet, for the command was by the hand of Yahweh by the hand of his prophets.

¹² And the king's secretaries were called in the first month on the thirteenth day, and a decree was issued, according to all that Haman commanded, to the satraps of the king and to the governors who were over all the provinces, and to the officials of all the people, to each province according to its own script and to all people according to their own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and was sealed with the king's ring. ¹³ Letters were sent by couriers* to all the provinces of the king to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, _⌊both young and old_⌋,* women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods. ¹⁴ A copy of the edict was presented as law in every province making it known to all the people to be ready for that day.

¹ For the music director; on the Gittith. Of Asaph.*
Shout out to God our strength; shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. ² Lift up a song and strike* the tambourine, the pleasant lyre, together with the harp. ³ Blow the horn at new moon, at full moon, for our feast day,

¹ A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.*
It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, and to sing praise concerning your name, O Most High; ² to declare in the morning your loyal love and your faithfulness in the night, ³ on the ten string, and on the harp, with a melody on the lyre.

²⁰ Can there be allied with you a throne of destruction, one that forms trouble based on statute?

³ Let them praise his name with dancing; let them sing praises to him with tambourine and lyre. ⁴ For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people; he glorifies the afflicted with salvation.

³ Praise him with blast of horn; praise him with harp and lyre. ⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute. ⁵ Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals. ⁶ Every breathing thing, let it praise Yah.* Praise Yah.*

¹⁶ I saw something else under the sun: instead of justice there was evil; instead of righteousness there was wickedness.

¹ Ah! Those who decree decrees of evil, and writers who have written harm,

⁴ Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,* "To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,* O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,* ⁵ that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶ And _⌊whoever_⌋* does not fall down and worship will be thrown _⌊immediately_⌋* into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire." ⁷ _⌊Therefore_⌋,* _⌊at that time_⌋,* _⌊as soon as_⌋* all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, _⌊the nations and people of all languages_⌋* were falling down and were worshiping the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

¹² Then they approached _⌊and spoke with the king_⌋* concerning the edict of the king, "_⌊Did you not sign an edict_⌋* that any person who would seek anything from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into _⌊the lion pit_⌋?"* The king answered and said, "The matter as you have just stated is certain according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked."

⁵ Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music.

⁵⁷ (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, they should report it,* in order that they could arrest him.)

⁷ And the women sang as they danced, and they said,
"Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his ten thousands!" ⁸ _⌊Saul became very angry_⌋,* and _⌊this saying displeased him_⌋,* and he thought, "They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! _⌊What more can he have but the kingdom_⌋?"* ⁹ So Saul was watching* David with suspicion from that day onward. ¹⁰ _⌊On_⌋* the next day, the evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day _⌊as usual_⌋,* and the spear was in Saul's hand. ¹¹ Then Saul hurled the spear and thought, "_⌊I will pin David to the wall_⌋."* But David eluded him twice.

⁸ And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all of the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from every other people, and they do not _⌊observe_⌋* the laws of the king; it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them.

⁴ Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger, but who will stand before jealousy?

⁴ I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and _⌊another_⌋.* This also is vanity and chasing wind!

⁴⁹ And Daniel made a request from the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the court of the king.

¹³ Then _⌊they responded_⌋* and said before the king, "Daniel, who is from _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah,* _⌊is not paying any attention_⌋* to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, _⌊and three times daily_⌋* he says his prayer."

²⁸ saying, "_⌊We strictly commanded_⌋* you* not to teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching! And you are intending to bring upon us the blood of this man!"

⁷ whom Jason has entertained as guests! And these people are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!"

⁵ but to Cain and to his offering he did not look with favor. And Cain became very angry, and his face fell.

³⁰ Then _⌊Saul became angry_⌋* at Jonathan and said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman!* Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? ³¹ For _⌊as long as_⌋* the son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established! So then, send and bring him to me, for _⌊he will surely die_⌋!"* ³² But Jonathan answered his father Saul and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" ³³ Then Saul hurled his* spear at him to kill him. So Jonathan knew _⌊that his father had decided_⌋* to kill David.

⁵ And Haman saw that Mordecai was not kneeling and bowing down to him, and he was filled with anger. ⁶ But _⌊he considered it beneath him_⌋* to lay hands on Mordecai only, for they told him of Mordecai's people, and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

¹² May a man meet a she-bear robbed of offspring and not a fool in his folly.

³ Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand, but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

²² A man of anger will stir strife, and the owner of anger, much transgression.

¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed.

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed _⌊toward_⌋* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, so he _⌊ordered and said_⌋* to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat it up.

¹⁸ And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles.

⁹ "But you, watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues and will have to stand before governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them.

¹¹ But they were filled with fury, and began discussing* with one another what they might do to Jesus.

¹² "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you,* handing you* over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before* kings and governors because of my name.

²⁵ But someone came and* reported to them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple courts* and teaching the people!" ²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and* brought them, not with force (for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned by them).* ²⁷ And when they* had brought them, they made them* stand in the Sanhedrin,* and the high priest put a question to them,

²⁴ And after some days, when* Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning faith in Christ Jesus.

¹³ But if he did not lie in wait _⌊and it was an accident_⌋,* I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. ¹⁴ But if a man schemes against his neighbor to kill him by treachery,* you will take him from my altar to die.

¹ Bel bows down; Nebo is stooping. Their idols are _⌊on_⌋* animals* and _⌊on_⌋* cattle; your _⌊cargo_⌋* is carried as a burden _⌊on_⌋* weary animals.

² "Declare among the nations and proclaim, and lift up a banner. Proclaim, you must not conceal it. Say, 'Babylon is captured, Bel is ashamed, Merodach is filled with terror, her idols are ashamed, her idols are filled with terror.

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon.

⁸ Then _⌊at last_⌋* Daniel came before me _⌊whose name was_⌋* Belteshazzar, _⌊according to_⌋* the name of my god, and _⌊in whom was the spirit of the holy gods_⌋,* _⌊and I related the dream to him_⌋.*

² And Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh that I should listen to his voice to release Israel? I do not know Yahweh, and also I will not release Israel."

³² And now if you will forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me from your scroll that you have written."

³⁵ Who among all of the gods of the countries have rescued their countries from my hand that Yahweh should rescue Jerusalem from my hand?'"

¹⁵ So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Do not let him urge you according to this. Do not put trust in him, for no god of any nation and kingdom has been able to save his people from my hand and from the hand of my ancestors.* Surely then your God will not save you from my hand!'" ¹⁶ And still more his servants said against Yahweh God and against Hezekiah his servant. ¹⁷ And he wrote letters to treat Yahweh the God of Israel with contempt and spoke against him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of the earth who did not save their people from my hand, so likewise the God of Hezekiah will not save his people from my hand."

¹⁸ lest Hezekiah mislead you, saying, 'Yahweh will save us!' Did the gods of the nations each save his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? ²⁰ Who are there among all the gods of these countries who have saved their land from my hand, that Yahweh should save Jerusalem from my hand?" '"

²³ Whom have you taunted and blasphemed, and against whom have you raised up your voice and lifted your eyes upward?
To the holy one of Israel!

⁵ that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶ And _⌊whoever_⌋* does not fall down and worship will be thrown _⌊immediately_⌋* into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire."

¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us.

²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar _⌊responded_⌋,* saying, "Blessed be their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel* and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they did not serve and did not worship any god except their God. ²⁹ And from me _⌊is set forth_⌋* a decree that any people, nation, or language that may utter criticism against their God—the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—will be broken into pieces and their* house will be made like ruins. _⌊For_⌋* there is not another God who is able to rescue like this God."

¹⁶ Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw him into _⌊the lion pit_⌋.* _⌊The king said_⌋* to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve _⌊faithfully_⌋,* may he rescue you!"

²⁰ And _⌊when he came near_⌋* to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with a distressed voice, and the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?"

¹⁹ But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how to speak* or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour.

⁴³ He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to,* because he said, 'I am the Son of God'!"

¹¹ And when they arrest you and* hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

⁷ So if you will worship before me, all this will be yours." ⁸ And Jesus answered and* said to him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"*

¹¹ But when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you should speak in your own defense or what you should say,

⁹ And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming year, so much the better,* but if not, you can cut it down.'"

¹⁴ _⌊Therefore make up your minds_⌋* not to prepare in advance to speak in your own defense, ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist or contradict.

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a sick man—by what means* this man was healed— ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man stands before you healthy! ¹¹ This one* is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved."

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and* said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you decide!

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered and* said, "It is necessary to obey God rather than men!

¹⁵ And as they* looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin* saw his face was like the face of an angel.

¹⁰ And when* the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "Because I* know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfully with respect to the things concerning myself. ¹¹ You can ascertain that _⌊it has not been more than_⌋* twelve days _⌊since_⌋* I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² And neither did they find me arguing with anyone or making a crowd develop in the temple courts* nor in the synagogues nor throughout the city. ¹³ Nor can they prove the things* to you concerning which they are now accusing me.

⁷ And the commander of the court officials gave them names, and he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.

¹² However there are Judean men whom you have appointed* over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, _⌊pay you no heed_⌋* and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold* that you set up they are not worshiping."

¹ When* Abram was ninety-nine years old Yahweh appeared to Abram. And he said to him, "I am El-Shaddai;* walk before me and be blameless

¹⁴ Is anything too difficult for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you _⌊in the spring_⌋* and Sarah shall have a son."

³⁷ And David said, "Yahweh, who rescued me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine!" Then Saul said to David, "Go and may Yahweh be with you!"

⁴⁶ This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down _⌊and cut off your head_⌋!* Then I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of heaven and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God who is for Israel.

¹⁹ _⌊From_⌋* six troubles he will deliver you, and in seven evil shall not touch you.

²⁹ but he remains quiet, and who can condemn? And he hides his face, and who can behold him? Yet* he is over a nation and over a person alike,

¹⁰ And he mounted a cherub and flew, and he swooped down on wings of wind. ¹¹ He made darkness his hiding place; all about him his covering was a darkness of waters, _⌊thick clouds_⌋.*

¹ Of David.*
Yahweh is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ² When evildoers drew near against me to eat my flesh— my adversaries and my enemies who drew near to me— they themselves stumbled and fell.

¹ For the music director, on Jeduthun.* A psalm of David.*
Only for God my soul waits in silence. From him is my salvation. ² Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. ³ How long will you attack a man? All of you will be shattered* like a leaning wall, a tottering fence. ⁴ They only* plan to thrust him down from his high position; they are pleased with deception. With their mouths* they bless, but _⌊inwardly_⌋* they curse. Selah ⁵ Only for God wait in silence, O my soul, because my hope is from him. ⁶ Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

²⁰ Like a dream upon awakening, when you wake up, O Lord, you will despise their fleeting form.*

³ But our God is in the heavens; all that he desires, he does.

⁵ Yahweh is your protector; Yahweh is your shade at your right hand. ⁶ The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ Yahweh will protect you from all evil;* he will protect your life.

² Look! God is my salvation; I will trust, and I will not be afraid, for my strength and might is Yah, Yahweh; and he has become salvation for me."

³ You will protect a firm inclination in peace, in peace because he trusts in you. ⁴ Trust in Yahweh forever, for in Yah, Yahweh you have an everlasting rock.

¹⁴ In righteousness you shall be established.
Be far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

⁸ _⌊Do not be afraid of them_⌋,* for I am with you to deliver you," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

³⁵ And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does _⌊according to_⌋* his desire in the host of heaven and among the dwellers of earth, and there is not one who can hold back his hand, or _⌊ask him_⌋,* 'What are you doing?'

²⁰ And _⌊when he came near_⌋* to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with a distressed voice, and the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?" ²¹ Then Daniel spoke to* the king, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!* ²² My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not* hurt me, _⌊because_⌋* before him _⌊I was found_⌋* blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong."

²⁷ He is rescuing, delivering, and working signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, for he has rescued Daniel from the _⌊power_⌋* of the lions."

³⁷ For _⌊nothing will be impossible with God_⌋."*

²⁴ But I consider my* life as worth _⌊nothing_⌋* to myself, in order to finish my mission and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

¹³ Then Paul replied, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!"

²⁰ But when* neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and with not a little bad weather confronting us,* finally all hope was abandoned that we would be saved. ²¹ And because* many were experiencing lack of appetite, at that time Paul stood up in their midst and* said, "Men, you ought to have followed my advice not to put out to sea from Crete, and thus avoided this damage and loss! ²² And now I urge you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life from among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For this night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve came to me, ²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar, and behold, God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.' ²⁵ Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will be like this—according to _⌊the_⌋* way it was told to me.

³¹ What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

²⁵ Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he* always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.

³ "There shall be for you no other gods before me. ⁴ "You shall not make for yourself a divine image with any form that is in the heavens above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth. ⁵ You will not bow down to them, and you will not serve them, because I am Yahweh your God, a jealous God, punishing the guilt of the parents on the children on the third and on the fourth generations* of those hating me,

⁴ You* must not turn to idols, and you* must not make for yourselves gods of cast metal; I am Yahweh your* God.

¹⁵ But if it is bad in your eyes to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you want to serve, whether it is the gods that your ancestors* served beyond the river,* or the gods of the Amorites* in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve Yahweh."

¹⁵ Look,* though he kill me, I will hope in* him; however, I will defend my ways _⌊before him_⌋.*

¹ The wicked flee, but no one pursues, but the righteous is bold like a lion.

¹² "I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that* you are afraid of man? He dies! And of the son of humankind? He is _⌊sacrificed_⌋* as grass! ¹³ And you have forgotten Yahweh, your maker, who stretched out the heavens, and founded the earth. And you tremble continually, all day, because of the wrath of the oppressor when he _⌊takes aim_⌋* to destroy. But* where is the wrath of the oppressor?

²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar _⌊responded_⌋,* saying, "Blessed be their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel* and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they did not serve and did not worship any god except their God.

²⁸ And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but instead be afraid of the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

³² "Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

³⁹ The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.

² So he answered and* said to them, "When* evening comes you say, 'It will be fair weather because the sky is red,'

³ Therefore everything that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what _⌊you have whispered_⌋* in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. ⁴ "And I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after these things do not have anything more to do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: fear the one who has authority, after the killing, to throw you* into hell! Yes, I tell you, fear this one! ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. ⁷ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered! Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸ "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man also will acknowledge him before the angels of God, ⁹ but the one who denies me before people will be denied before the angels of God.

¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man stands before you healthy! ¹¹ This one* is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved." ¹³ Now when they* saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered and* said, "It is necessary to obey God rather than men! ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by* hanging him* on a tree. ³¹ This one God has exalted to his right hand as Leader and Savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses of these things, and so is* the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

¹⁰ Do not be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will experience affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.'

¹¹ And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives until death.

⁵ but to Cain and to his offering he did not look with favor. And Cain became very angry, and his face fell. ⁶ And Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why is your face fallen?

² Then Jacob saw the face of Laban and, behold, _⌊it was not like it had been in the past_⌋.*

⁹ The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder, my desire will be full of them, I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.' ¹⁰ You blew with your breath; the sea covered them; they dropped like lead in the mighty waters.

¹⁸ " 'And if in spite of these things you do not listen to me, then* I will continue to discipline you seven times for your sins.

²¹ " 'And if you go against me in hostility and you are not willing to listen to me, then* I will add a plague onto you seven times according to your sins.

²⁴ then* I myself* will also go against you in hostility, and I myself* also will strike you seven times for your sins.

²⁸ then* I will go against you in hostile anger, and also* I myself* will discipline you seven times for your sins.

³³ And he arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed it on the wood.* Then he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." ³⁴ He said, "Do it again!" They did it again. He said, "Do it a third time!" So they did it a third time. ³⁵ The water went all around the altar, and the trench also was filled with water.

¹⁰ Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, "Thus may the gods do to me and thus may they add if the dust of Samaria is sufficient for the hollow of a hand for all of the people who are at my feet." ¹¹ The king of Israel answered and said, "Tell him, 'Let not him who girds on his armor boast as one who takes off his armor.'"

²⁷ Your sitting, your going out, and your coming in I know, and your raging against me. ²⁸ Because you are raging against me, and your arrogance has come up in my ears, I will put my nose ring in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. And I will turn you back on the way that you have come.

⁷ The king rose in his anger _⌊from the banquet_⌋* and went to the palace garden, and Haman stood to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for _⌊he realized that the king was determined to make an end to his life_⌋.*

¹⁰ For the anger of humankind will praise you. You will put on the remnant of anger.*

¹⁴ The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but one who is wise will appease* it.

²⁴ The proud, haughty one: "scoffer" is his name; he acts with arrogance of pride.

³ Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand, but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them. ⁴ Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger, but who will stand before jealousy?

²³ And I will put it in the hand of your tormenters, who have said to _⌊you_⌋,* 'Bow down that* we may _⌊pass_⌋* over you!' And you have _⌊made_⌋* your back like the ground, and like the street for those who _⌊pass_⌋* over you."

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king.

⁶ Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and _⌊his hip joints gave way_⌋* and _⌊his knees knocked together_⌋.*

²⁴ The king then commanded, and these men were brought _⌊who had accused Daniel_⌋,* and they threw them and their children and their wives into _⌊the lion pit_⌋,* and they had not reached the floor of the pit _⌊before_⌋* the lions had overpowered them and they had crushed all of their bones.

⁶³ saying, "Sir, we remember that while* that deceiver was still alive he said, 'After three days I will rise.' ⁶⁴ Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and* steal him and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first." ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it* as secure as you know how." ⁶⁶ So they went with the guard of soldiers and* made the tomb secure by* sealing the stone.

⁴ "And I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after these things do not have anything more to do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: fear the one who has authority, after the killing, to throw you* into hell! Yes, I tell you, fear this one!

³³ Now when* they heard this,* they were infuriated, and were wanting to execute them.

⁵⁴ Now when they* heard these things, they were infuriated in their hearts and gnashed their* teeth at him.

⁴ After he* had arrested _⌊him_⌋,* he also put him* in prison, handing him* over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him _⌊out for public trial_⌋* after the Passover. ⁵ Thus Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church for him.

²³ And after they* had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them* into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely.

²⁵ Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and* singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

³³ And the Egyptians urged the people in order to hurry their release* from the land, because they said, "All of us will die!"*

⁸ The righteous is delivered from trouble, but the wicked enters into it.

¹⁸ A ransom for the righteous is the wicked, and the faithless instead of the upright.

¹⁵ _⌊He asked_⌋* and said to Arioch, the royal official of the king, "_⌊Why_⌋* is the decree from the king so severe?" Then Arioch explained the matter* to Daniel.

² 'Look, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling for all the surrounding nations; it will also be against Judah in the siege against Jerusalem. ³ _⌊And then_⌋* on that day I will make Jerusalem a stone weight* for all the peoples. All those lifting it up will grievously hurt themselves, and all the nations of the earth will assemble against it.

⁵ And throwing the silver coins into the temple he departed. And he went away and* hanged himself.

¹⁹ And when* Herod had searched for him and did not find him,* he questioned the guards and* ordered that they be led away to execution. And he came down from Judea to Caesarea and* stayed there.

¹⁹ Many are the distresses of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

¹¹ You brought us into the net; you placed a _⌊heavy burden_⌋* on our backs. ¹² You let men* ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you have brought us out to the place of abundance.*

¹ A song of ascents. Of David.*
"If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side," do let Israel say, ² "If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us, ³ then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us. ⁴ Then the waters would have flooded over us, the torrent would have passed over our soul. ⁵ Then over our soul would have passed the raging waters."

⁶ So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the pit* of Malchiah, the son of the king, which was in the courtyard of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down by ropes. Now in the pit* there was no water,* _⌊but only_⌋* mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

⁵² My enemies hunt me without cause, like a bird. ⁵³ _⌊They have silenced me in a pit_⌋,* they have thrown a stone at me. ⁵⁴ Water has flown over my head, I said, "I am cut off."

¹⁶ Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw him into _⌊the lion pit_⌋.* _⌊The king said_⌋* to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve _⌊faithfully_⌋,* may he rescue you!" ¹⁷ And a* stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his lords,* so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel.

⁸ For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction that happened in the province of Asia,* that we were burdened to an extraordinary degree, beyond our strength, so that we were in despair even of living. ⁹ But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not be putting confidence in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a risk of death, and will deliver us, in whom we have put our hope that he will also deliver us again,

¹⁷ For our momentary light affliction is producing in us an eternal weight of glory _⌊beyond all measure and proportion_⌋*,

¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it* takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad.

⁵⁵ Now when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know."

² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent directions to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all of the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³ Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province were assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and were standing _⌊before_⌋* the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁹ _⌊They responded and said_⌋* to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may you live _⌊forever_⌋!* ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that _⌊everyone_⌋* who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.*

²² —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven* and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you and your sin remove* with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on the oppressed, _⌊in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity_⌋.'"*

¹⁸ _⌊O king_⌋,* the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋.*

²² My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not* hurt me, _⌊because_⌋* before him _⌊I was found_⌋* blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong."

²³ saying, "We found the prison locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but when we* opened them,* we found no one inside!" ²⁴ Now when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed concerning them, as to what this might be. ²⁵ But someone came and* reported to them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple courts* and teaching the people!"

⁶ But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you _⌊what you must do_⌋."*

¹³ And when* he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female slave _⌊named_⌋* Rhoda came up to answer.

¹³ In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.

²⁷ Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe."

⁶ And it happened _⌊one day_⌋* _⌊that_⌋* the sons of God* came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan* also came into their midst.

⁷ when the morning stars were singing together and all the sons of God* shouted for joy?

⁷ The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and he rescues them.

³ For he will deliver* you from the snare of the fowler, from the plague of destruction. ⁴ With his feathers he will cover you, and under his wings you can take refuge. His faithfulness will be a shield and a buckler.* ⁵ You need not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, ⁶ or the plague that spreads in the darkness, or the destruction that devastates at noon. ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. ⁸ You will only look with your eyes, and see the punishment of the wicked. ⁹ For you, O Yahweh, are my refuge. You have made the Most High your dwelling place.*

⁴ Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a* garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what is the name of his child? For surely you know.

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not flow over you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not scorch* you.

¹⁸ And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that _⌊we will not serve your gods_⌋,* and the statue of gold* that you have set up we will not worship."

¹⁸ they will pick up* snakes.* And if they drink any deadly poison it will never hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and _⌊they will get_⌋* well."

³⁵ And the angel answered and* said to her,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

⁷ The Jews replied to him, "We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself out to be the Son of God!" ⁸ So when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid,

⁵ He, in turn, shook off the creature into the fire and* suffered no harm.

⁴ who was declared Son of God in power according to _⌊the Holy Spirit_⌋* by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord,

¹³ And who is the one who will harm you if you are a zealous adherent for what is good?

¹⁸ And Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. (He was the priest of God Most High).

¹⁷ And the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firmly on the dry land in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation finished crossing the Jordan.

¹⁰ The priests carrying the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything that Yahweh commanded Joshua to tell the people was finished, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua. And the people hastily crossed over.

¹⁶ "Command the priests carrying the ark of the testimony* _⌊to come up_⌋* from the Jordan." ¹⁷ So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, "Come up from the Jordan." ¹⁸ And it happened that when the priests carrying the ark came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet _⌊touched dry land_⌋,* the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and flowed over all its banks as before.

¹¹ And this is the answer they returned to us: 'We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house that was built formerly many years ago, which a great king of Israel had built and finished.

¹⁶ Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this:
"Look! I am laying a stone in Zion, a _⌊tested_⌋* stone, a precious cornerstone, a founded foundation:
'The one who trusts will not _⌊panic_⌋.'*

¹² For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for Yahweh is going before you, and your rear guard is the God of Israel.

⁴⁷ The king answered Daniel and said, "_⌊Truly_⌋* your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and he reveals mysteries, for you are able to reveal this mystery."

² It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.

¹⁷ She followed Paul and us and* was crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!"

³⁷ But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without due process—men who are Roman citizens—and* threw us* into prison, and now they are wanting to release us secretly? Certainly not! Rather let them come themselves and* bring us out!"

²³ For this night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve came to me,

¹⁰ For am I now making an appeal to people or to God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

⁵ And a voice came out from the throne, saying,
"Praise our God all his slaves, and those who fear him, the small and the great!"

⁴⁶ This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down _⌊and cut off your head_⌋!* Then I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of heaven and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God who is for Israel. ⁴⁷ And all of this assembly will know that Yahweh does not rescue with sword or with spear, for the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will give you into our hands!"

¹⁹ So then, O Yahweh our God, rescue us, please, from his hand, that all of the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Yahweh, you alone are God!"

¹⁸ that they may know that you, whose name is Yahweh, you alone, are the Most High over the whole earth.

⁷ Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of the peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. ⁸ Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. ⁹ Worship Yahweh in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth.

¹¹ Yahweh, though your hand reaches high, they do not see it.
Let them see, and let them be ashamed of the zeal of people. Indeed, let the fire of your enemies consume them.

³⁰ And even the hairs of your head are all numbered!

¹⁷ And you will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ Even a hair of your head will never perish!

⁶ And when* this sound occurred, the crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one was hearing them speaking in his own language. ⁷ And they were astounded and astonished, saying, "Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how do we hear, each one of us, in _⌊our own native language_⌋?* ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those residing in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,* ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the great deeds of God!" ¹² And all were amazed and greatly perplexed, saying _⌊to one another_⌋,* "_⌊What can this mean?_⌋"*

²⁶ For the king knows about these things, to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced that these things in any way have escaped* his notice, because this _⌊was_⌋* not _⌊done_⌋* in a corner.

³⁴ Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is necessary for your preservation. For not a hair from your head will be lost."

³⁴ extinguished the effectiveness of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong from weakness, became mighty in battle, put to flight enemy battle lines.

²⁶ Then* he said,
"Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem, and let Canaan be a slave to them.

¹⁵ And as the dawn came up the angels urged Lot saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters _⌊who are staying with you_⌋,* lest you be destroyed with the punishment of the city." ¹⁶ But when he lingered, the men seized him by his hand and his wife's hand, and his two daughters by hand, on account of the mercy of Yahweh upon him. And they brought him out and set him outside of the city.

²⁰ And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he responded to their prayer because they trusted in him.

²⁰ And they rose up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, and you shall be established! Believe in his prophets, and you shall succeed!"

²¹ Then Yahweh sent an angel, and he destroyed every mighty warrior of strength, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. And he returned with shamed face to his land and went into the house of his god. And some of the offspring of his loins fell upon him there with the sword.

³ Whoever among you who is from all of his people, may his God be with him and may he go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may he build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

¹¹ Furthermore, I issue forth a decree that if any person violates this decree, let a beam be pulled out from his house and let him be impaled on it. And let his house be made a pile of rubble on account of this.

²³ All that is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, otherwise wrath will come on the kingdom of the king and his sons. ²⁴ You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God. ²⁵ "You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know. ²⁶ All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment." ²⁷ Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors,* who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem ²⁸ and who extended to me loyal love before the king and his counselors, and before all of the mighty officials of the king. I took courage, for the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

⁴ Our ancestors* trusted you; they trusted and you delivered them. ⁵ They cried to you and were saved; they trusted you and were not ashamed.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of Yahweh is on those who fear him, on those who hope* for his loyal love

²¹ For in him our heart rejoices because in his holy name we trust.

⁷ The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and he rescues them. ⁸ Taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

²² Yahweh redeems the life of his servants, and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.

⁸ Trust him at all times, O people; pour out before him your heart. God is a refuge for us. Selah

¹¹ Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly. ¹² O Yahweh of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts you.

²⁰ Bless Yahweh, you his angels, you mighty heroes who do his word by _⌊obeying_⌋* the sound of his word.

⁵ Blessed is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is on Yahweh as his God, ⁶ who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, the one who keeps faith* forever,

¹¹ Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, the ones who hope* for his loyal love.

³⁶ And the angel of Yahweh set out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When* they rose in the morning, look! All of them were dead corpses.

⁷ Blessed be the person who trusts in Yahweh, and Yahweh is his trust. ⁸ For he will be like a tree planted by water, and to the stream it sends its roots, and it will not fear when heat comes, and its leaves* will be luxuriant, and in the year of drought it will not be anxious, and it will not cease from the bearing of fruit.

¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?" ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter _⌊to present a defense to you_⌋.* ¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. ¹⁸ And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that _⌊we will not serve your gods_⌋,* and the statue of gold* that you have set up we will not worship."

²⁵ _⌊He answered_⌋,* saying, "Look, I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire and there is no damage to them, and the* appearance of the fourth man resembles the son of a god."

³⁴ "But at the end of _⌊that period_⌋,* I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and then my reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and _⌊the one who lives forever_⌋* I praised and I honored.
"For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation.

²² My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not* hurt me, _⌊because_⌋* before him _⌊I was found_⌋* blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong." ²³ Then the king was exceedingly glad over it* and commanded that Daniel be lifted up from the pit; and there was not any wound found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁶ _⌊I make a decree_⌋* that in all the dominion of my kingdom people will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and endures _⌊forever_⌋* and his* kingdom is one that will not be destroyed and his _⌊dominion has no end_⌋.*

¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan, for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"*

¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them out and* said,

⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him,* and a light shone in the prison cell. And striking Peter's side, he woke him up, saying, "Get up _⌊quickly_⌋!"* And his chains fell off of his* hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and put on your sandals!" And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me!" ⁹ And he went out and* was following him.* And he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ And after they* had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself, and they went out and* went forward along one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him. ¹¹ And when* Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all _⌊that the Jewish people expected_⌋!"*

¹ Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

⁷ For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

¹² that we who hoped beforehand in Christ should be for the praise of his glory, ¹³ in whom also you, when you heard* the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also when you believed you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

²⁰ according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death.

¹⁴ Are they not all spirits engaged in special service, sent on assignment for the sake of those who are going to inherit salvation?

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by murder with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, impoverished, afflicted, mistreated,

²¹ who through him are believing in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

³¹ For the fact of the matter is, their rock is not like our Rock, and our enemies recognize* this.

⁸ To Yahweh belongs deliverance; may your blessing be over your people. Selah

²⁶ _⌊I make a decree_⌋* that in all the dominion of my kingdom people will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and endures _⌊forever_⌋* and his* kingdom is one that will not be destroyed and his _⌊dominion has no end_⌋.* ²⁷ He is rescuing, delivering, and working signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, for he has rescued Daniel from the _⌊power_⌋* of the lions."

³⁰ Therefore,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh the God of Israel, 'though I solemnly said that your house and the house of your ancestor* would walk before me forever, but now,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me, I will treat with contempt!

³ And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water that gives its fruit in its season; its leaf also does not wither. Therefore all that he does prospers.

¹⁴ Because he loves me, therefore I will deliver him; I will protect* him because he knows my name.

²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.