16 verses
31Make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32Let it have a hole for the head in the middle of it. Let it have a binding of woven work around its hole, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn. 33On its hem make pomegranates of blue, purple, and of scarlet, all around its hem; with bells of gold between and around them: 34a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35It will be on Aaron to minister. Its sound will be heard when he goes in to the holy place of Yahweh's presence, and when he comes out, so he won't die.
36Make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, 'Holy to Yahweh.' 37Put it on a lace of blue, and place on the sash. It will be on the front of the sash. 38It will be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel will make holy in all their holy gifts; and it must always be on his forehead, so they can be accepted in Yahweh's presence. 39Weave the tunic with fine linen. Make a turban of fine linen, and a sash, the work of an embroiderer.
40Make tunics for Aaron's sons. Make sashes and headbands for them, for glory and for beauty. 41Put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, so they can minister to me in the priest's office. 42Make them linen undershorts to cover their nakedness. Make them cover from the waist to the thighs. 43They must be on Aaron and on his sons when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, so they don't bear iniquity, and die. This will be a statute forever to him and to his offspring after him.
1This is what you must do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest's office: take one young bull and two rams without defect, 2unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. Make them of fine wheat flour. 3Put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams.
28 verses
1They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2In the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3The king of Israel said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we are still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?" 4He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." 5Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh."
6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" They said, "Go up; for LordOfMine will deliver it into the hand of the king."
7But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of him?"
8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." Jehoshaphat said, "Don't let the king say so."
9Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, "Quickly get Micaiah the son of Imlah."
10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Yahweh says, 'With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.'" 12All the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."
13The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good."
14Micaiah said, "As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak."
15When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" He answered him, "Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."
16The king said to him, "How many times do I have to solemnly-order you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"
17He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, 'These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.'"
18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
19Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20Yahweh said, 'Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said one thing; and another said another.
21A spirit came out and stood before Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.'
22Yahweh said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.' 23Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you."
24Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh go from me to speak to you?"
25Micaiah said, "Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself."
26The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son. 27Say, 'The king says, "Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace."'"
28Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, all you people!"
17 verses
15In those days I saw some men treading winepresses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I testified [against them] on the day in which they sold food. 16Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, [which they] sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 18Didn't your fathers do this, and didn't our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."
19When the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21Then I testified against them, and said to them, "Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on, they didn't come on the Sabbath. 22I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
23In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab; 24and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. 25I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You will not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26Didn't Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin. 27Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?"
28One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. 29Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 31and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
23 verses
25Absolutely. Absolutely I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God's voice; and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. 28Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, 29and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 30I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me. 31"If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. 32It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. 33You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34[*But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.] 35He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the acts which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very acts that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. 37The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38You don't have his word living in you, because you don't believe him whom he sent.
39"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. 41I don't receive glory from men. 42But I know you, that you don't have God's selfless-love in yourselves. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you don't receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45"Don't think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 47But if you don't believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"
