Samson Defeats the Philistines

¹After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with ka young goat. And he said, “I will go in to my wife in the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in. ²And her father said, “I really thought that you utterly hated her, lso I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.” ³And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm.” ⁴So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails. ⁵And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards. ⁶Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife mand given her to his companion.” And the Philistines came up and nburned her and her father with fire. ⁷And Samson said to them, “If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit.” ⁸And he struck them hip and thigh with a great blow, and he went down and stayed in the ocleft of the rock of Etam.

⁹Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and pmade a raid on qLehi. ¹⁰And the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.” ¹¹Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that rthe Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so have I done to them.” ¹²And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.” ¹³They said to him, “No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you.” So they bound him with two snew ropes and brought him up from the rock.

¹⁴When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. tThen the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. ¹⁵And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, uand with it he struck 1,000 men. ¹⁶And Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,

heaps upon heaps,

with the jawbone of a donkey

have I struck down a thousand men.”

¹⁷As soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place vwas called Ramath-lehi.1

¹⁸And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the Lord and said, w“You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” ¹⁹And God split open the hollow place that is vat Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, xhis spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore;2 it is at Lehi to this day. ²⁰And he judged Israel yin the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Paul in Ephesus

¹And it happened that while tApollos was at Corinth, Paul passed uthrough the inland1 country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. ²And he said to them, v“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, wwe have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³And he said, x“Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into yJohn's baptism.” ⁴And Paul said, y“John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people zto believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” ⁵On hearing this, athey were baptized in2 the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And bwhen Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and cthey began speaking in tongues and dprophesying. ⁷There were about twelve men in all.

⁸And ehe entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them fabout the kingdom of God. ⁹gBut when some became stubborn and hcontinued in unbelief, speaking evil of ithe Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.3 ¹⁰This continued for jtwo years, so that kall the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

The Sons of Sceva

¹¹And lGod was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹²lso that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and mthe evil spirits came out of them. ¹³Then some of the itinerant Jewish nexorcists oundertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, p“I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” ¹⁴Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. ¹⁵But the evil spirit answered them, q“Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” ¹⁶And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all4 of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and rthe name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. ¹⁸Also many of those who were now believers came, sconfessing and divulging their practices. ¹⁹And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰So the word of the Lord tcontinued to increase and prevail mightily.

A Riot at Ephesus

²¹Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit uto pass through vMacedonia and Achaia and wgo to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, xI must also see Rome.” ²²And having sent into Macedonia two of yhis helpers, zTimothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia afor a while.

²³About that time bthere arose no little disturbance concerning cthe Way. ²⁴For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, dbrought no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵dThese he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, esaying that fgods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the ggreat goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, g“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and hAristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's icompanions in travel. ³⁰But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹And even some of the Asiarchs,5 who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. ³²jNow some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, kmotioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. ³⁴But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, l“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from mthe sky?6 ³⁶Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷For you have brought nthese men here who are neither osacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are pproconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹But if you seek anything further,7 it shall be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” ⁴¹And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

Hananiah the False Prophet

¹In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of nZedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of oAzzur, the prophet from pGibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, ²“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: qI have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³rWithin stwo years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴I will also bring back to this place tJeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, qfor I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, ⁶and the prophet Jeremiah said, u“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. ⁷Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸vThe prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹wAs for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

¹⁰Then the prophet Hananiah took the xyoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. ¹¹And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, y“Thus says the Lord: zEven so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of aall the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.

¹²Sometime after the prophet bHananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ¹³“Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. ¹⁴For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations can iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, dand they shall serve him, efor I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’” ¹⁵And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, fthe Lord has not sent you, gand you have made this people trust in a lie. ¹⁶Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, hbecause you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”

¹⁷In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

¹xIt was now two days before ythe Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes zwere seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, ²for they said, “Not during the feast, alest there be an uproar from the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

³bAnd while he was at cBethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. ⁴There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? ⁵For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii2 and dgiven to the poor.” And they escolded her. ⁶But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷For fyou always have the poor with you, and whenever gyou want, you can do good for them. But hyou will not always have me. ⁸iShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand jfor burial. ⁹And truly, I say to you, wherever kthe gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told lin memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

¹⁰mThen nJudas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, nwent to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. ¹¹And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to obetray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

¹²pAnd on qthe first day of Unleavened Bread, when they rsacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹³And he sent stwo of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, t‘The Teacher says, Where is umy guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵And he will show you va large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” ¹⁶And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷wAnd when it was evening, he came with the twelve. ¹⁸And as they were reclining at table and eating, xJesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, yone who is eating with me.” ¹⁹They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” ²⁰He said to them, “It is zone of the twelve, yone who is dipping bread into the dish with me. ²¹For the Son of Man goes aas it is written of him, but bwoe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! cIt would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord's Supper

²²dAnd as they were eating, he took bread, and after eblessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; fthis is my body.” ²³And he took a cup, and when he had ggiven thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. ²⁴And he said to them, f“This is my hblood of the3 covenant, which is poured out for imany. ²⁵Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

²⁶jAnd when they had sung a hymn, kthey went out to lthe Mount of Olives. ²⁷And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will mstrike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸But after I am raised up, nI will go before you to Galilee.” ²⁹oPeter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” ³⁰And pJesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before qthe rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” ³¹But rhe said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

³²sAnd they went kto a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³And he took with him tPeter and James and John, and began uto be greatly distressed and troubled. ³⁴And he said to them, v“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and wwatch.”4 ³⁵And going a little farther, he fell on the ground xand prayed that, if it were possible, ythe hour might pass from him. ³⁶And he said, z“Abba, Father, aall things are possible for you. Remove bthis cup from me. cYet not what I will, but what you will.” ³⁷And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? ³⁸wWatch and dpray that you may not eenter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹And again he went away and prayed, fsaying the same words. ⁴⁰And again he came and found them sleeping, for gtheir eyes were very heavy, and hthey did not know what to answer him. ⁴¹And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? iIt is enough; jthe hour has come. kThe Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴³lAnd immediately, while he was still speaking, mJudas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, n“Rabbi!” And he okissed him. ⁴⁶And they laid hands on him and seized him. ⁴⁷But one of those who stood by drew his psword and struck the servant5 of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁴⁸And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹qDay after day I was with you in the temple rteaching, and you did not seize me. But slet the Scriptures be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰tAnd they all left him and fled.

A Young Man Flees

⁵¹And a young man followed him, with nothing but ua linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, ⁵²but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Jesus Before the Council

⁵³vAnd wthey led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. ⁵⁴wAnd xPeter had followed him at a distance, yright into zthe courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with athe guards and bwarming himself at the fire. ⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council6 were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. ⁵⁶cFor many bore false witness against him, but their testimony ddid not agree. ⁵⁷And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, ⁵⁸e“We heard him say, f‘I will destroy this temple gthat is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, hnot made with hands.’” ⁵⁹Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. ⁶⁰And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”7 ⁶¹But ihe remained silent and made no answer. jAgain the high priest asked him, “Are you kthe Christ, the Son of lthe Blessed?” ⁶²And Jesus said, “I am, and myou will see the Son of Man nseated at the right hand of Power, and mcoming with the clouds of heaven.” ⁶³And the high priest otore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? ⁶⁴You have heard phis blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they qall condemned him as rdeserving death. ⁶⁵sAnd some began tto spit on him and uto cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him vwith blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

⁶⁶wAnd as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, ⁶⁷and seeing Peter xwarming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway8 and ythe rooster crowed.9 ⁶⁹And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” ⁷⁰But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” ⁷¹But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” ⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed za second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, a“Before the rooster crows twice, you will bdeny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.10