Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore^(A) the land of Canaan,^(B) which I am giving to the Israelites.^(C) From each ancestral tribe^(D) send one of its leaders.”

³ So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.^{(E) 4} These are their names:

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore^(H) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun^(I) the name Joshua.)^(J)

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,^(K) he said, “Go up through the Negev^(L) and on into the hill country.^{(M) 18} See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.^(N)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)^(O)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin^(P) as far as Rehob,^(Q) toward Lebo Hamath.^{(R) 22} They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,^(S) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,^(T) the descendants of Anak,^(U) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)^{(V) 23} When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,^[a](W) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates^(X) and figs.^{(Y) 24} That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days^(Z) they returned from exploring the land.^(AA)

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(AB) in the Desert of Paran.^(AC) There they reported to them^(AD) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(AE) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(AF) Here is its fruit.^{(AG) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(AH) We even saw descendants of Anak^(AI) there.^{(AJ) 29} The Amalekites^(AK) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(AL) Jebusites^(AM) and Amorites^(AN) live in the hill country;^(AO) and the Canaanites^(AP) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(AQ)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(AR) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(AS) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(AT) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(AU) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(AV) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(AW) there (the descendants of Anak^(AX) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(AY) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

Psalm 91

Psalm 92^[c]

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

Widows, Elders and Slaves

5 Do not rebuke an older man^(A) harshly,^(B) but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men^(C) as brothers, ² older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.^{(D) 4} But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents,^(E) for this is pleasing to God.^{(F) 5} The widow who is really in need^(G) and left all alone puts her hope in God^(H) and continues night and day to pray^(I) and to ask God for help. ⁶ But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.^{(J) 7} Give the people these instructions,^(K) so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸ Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied^(L) the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for her good deeds,^(M) such as bringing up children, showing hospitality,^(N) washing the feet^(O) of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble^(P) and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

¹¹ As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹² Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies^(Q) who talk nonsense,^(R) saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴ So I counsel younger widows to marry,^(S) to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.^{(T) 15} Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.^(U)

¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.^(V)

¹⁷ The elders^(W) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,^(X) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a](Y) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^{[b](Z) 19} Do not entertain an accusation against an elder^(AA) unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.^{(AB) 20} But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove^(AC) before everyone, so that the others may take warning.^{(AD) 21} I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus^(AE) and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

²² Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,^(AF) and do not share in the sins of others.^(AG) Keep yourself pure.^(AH)

²³ Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine^(AI) because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴ The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵ In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,^(AJ) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.^{(AK) 2} Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.^(AL) Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare^[c] of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.^{(AM) 3} If anyone teaches otherwise^(AN) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(AO) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(AP) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(AQ) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(AR) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(AS) is great gain.^{(AT) 7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.^{(AU) 8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.^{(AV) 9} Those who want to get rich^(AW) fall into temptation and a trap^(AX) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(AY) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(AZ) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(BA)

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God,^(BB) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,^(BC) faith, love,^(BD) endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight^(BE) of the faith. Take hold of^(BF) the eternal life^(BG) to which you were called when you made your good confession^(BH) in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate^(BI) made the good confession,^(BJ) I charge you^{(BK) 14} to keep this command without spot or blame^(BL) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(BM) 15} which God will bring about in his own time^(BN)—God, the blessed^(BO) and only Ruler,^(BP) the King of kings and Lord of lords,^{(BQ) 16} who alone is immortal^(BR) and who lives in unapproachable light,^(BS) whom no one has seen or can see.^(BT) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.^(BU)

¹⁷ Command those who are rich^(BV) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,^(BW) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,^(BX) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^{(BY) 18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(BZ) and to be generous and willing to share.^{(CA) 19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves^(CB) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of^(CC) the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted^(CD) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter^(CE) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.^(CF)

Grace be with you all.^(CG)