Asa’s Reform^(A)

15 The Spirit of God came on^(B) Azariah son of Oded. ² He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you^(C) when you are with him.^(D) If you seek^(E) him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.^{(F) 3} For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach^(G) and without the law.^{(H) 4} But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him,^(I) and he was found by them. ⁵ In those days it was not safe to travel about,^(J) for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. ⁶ One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another,^(K) because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. ⁷ But as for you, be strong^(L) and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”^(M)

⁸ When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of^[a] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols^(N) from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured^(O) in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar^(P) of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple.

⁹ Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers^(Q) had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

¹⁰ They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month^(R) of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. ¹¹ At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder^(S) they had brought back. ¹² They entered into a covenant^(T) to seek the Lord,^(U) the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. ¹³ All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death,^(V) whether small or great, man or woman. ¹⁴ They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. ¹⁵ All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God^(W) eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest^(X) on every side.

¹⁶ King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah^(Y) from her position as queen mother,^(Z) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah.^(AA) Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.^{(AB) 17} Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. ¹⁸ He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.^(AC)

¹⁹ There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

A Lament Over Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁵ Cush and Libya,^(G) Lydia and all Arabia,^(H) Kub and the people^(I) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(J)

⁶ “‘This is what the Lord says:

⁹ “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(O) out of her complacency. Anguish^(P) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.^(Q)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I the Lord have spoken.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

²⁰ In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(AL) 21} “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(AM) of Pharaoh^(AN) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(AO) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. ²² Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(AP) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(AQ) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(AR) 24} I will strengthen^(AS) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(AT) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(AU) before him like a mortally wounded man. ²⁵ I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword^(AV) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^{(AW) 26} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(AX)”

Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon

31 In the eleventh year,^(AY) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(AZ) 2} “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

¹⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud^(BP) of its height, ¹¹ I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,^{(BQ) 12} and the most ruthless of foreign nations^(BR) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;^(BS) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.^{(BT) 13} All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.^{(BU) 14} Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined^(BV) for death,^(BW) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.^(BX)

¹⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.^{(BY) 16} I made the nations tremble^(BZ) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees^(CA) of Eden,^(CB) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled^(CC) in the earth below.^{(CD) 17} They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,^(CE) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.

¹⁸ “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,^(CF) with those killed by the sword.

“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book,^(A) Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach^{(B) 2} until the day he was taken up to heaven,^(C) after giving instructions^(D) through the Holy Spirit to the apostles^(E) he had chosen.^{(F) 3} After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them^(G) over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.^{(H) 4} On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait^(I) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(J) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(K) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(L)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(M) the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(N) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(O) and you will be my witnesses^(P) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(Q) and to the ends of the earth.”^(R)

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up^(S) before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white^(T) stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,”^(U) they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back^(V) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

¹² Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem^(W) from the hill called the Mount of Olives,^(X) a Sabbath day’s walk^[c] from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room^(Y) where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.^{(Z) 14} They all joined together constantly in prayer,^(AA) along with the women^(AB) and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.^(AC)

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶ and said, “Brothers and sisters,^[d](AD) the Scripture had to be fulfilled^(AE) in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas,^(AF) who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He was one of our number^(AG) and shared in our ministry.”^(AH)

¹⁸ (With the payment^(AI) he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;^(AJ) there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language^(AK) Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰ “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

and,

²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism^(AN) to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness^(AO) with us of his resurrection.”

²³ So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed,^(AP) “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.^(AQ) Show us^(AR) which of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.^(AS)

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost^(AT) came, they were all together^(AU) in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^{(AV) 3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(AW) and began to speak in other tongues^[g](AX) as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(AY) Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed,^(AZ) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^{(BA) 8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^(BB) Pontus^(BC) and Asia,^{[h](BD) 10} Phrygia^(BE) and Pamphylia,^(BF) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(BG) visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”^(BH)

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^{(BI) 16} No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(BQ) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(BR) which God did among you through him,^(BS) as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(BT) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[j] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{(BU) 24} But God raised him from the dead,^(BV) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{(BW) 25} David said about him:

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(BZ) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(CA) David died and was buried,^(CB) and his tomb is here^(CC) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(CD) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(CE) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(CF) and we are all witnesses^(CG) of it. ³³ Exalted^(CH) to the right hand of God,^(CI) he has received from the Father^(CJ) the promised Holy Spirit^(CK) and has poured out^(CL) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(CN) and Messiah.”^(CO)

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(CP)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(CQ) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(CR) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(CS) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(CT) and for all who are far off^(CU)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(CV) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(CW) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(CX) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(CY) and to prayer.^{(CZ) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(DA) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(DB) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(DC) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(DD) They broke bread^(DE) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(DF) And the Lord added to their number^(DG) daily those who were being saved.