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Hoshea, Last King of Israel
17 Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel during Ahaz’s twelfth year as king of Judah. Hoshea ·ruled [reigned] in Samaria nine years. 2 He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], but ·he was not as bad as [not like] the kings of Israel who had ·ruled [reigned] before him.
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came to attack Hoshea. Hoshea had been Shalmaneser’s ·servant [vassal] and had ·made the payments to Shal-maneser that he had demanded [paid him tribute]. 4 But the king of Assyria found that Hoshea had betrayed him. Hoshea had ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against him by sending messengers to So, the king of Egypt. Hoshea had also ·stopped giving Shalmaneser the payments [offered no tribute to the king of Assyria], which he had paid every year in the past. For that, the king of Assyria put Hoshea in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria ·came and attacked [invaded] all the land of Israel. He ·surrounded [besieged] Samaria for three years. 6 He ·defeated [captured] Samaria in the ninth year Hoshea was king, and he ·took [carried; exiled; deported] the Israelites away to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.
Israelites Punished for Sin
7 All these things happened because the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] had sinned against the Lord their God. He had brought them out of Egypt and had rescued them from the ·power [L hand] of Pharaoh the king of Egypt [Ex. 20:2], but ·the Israelites [L they] had ·honored [revered; feared] other gods [Deut. 29:26]. 8 They ·lived like [followed/L walked in the practices of] the nations the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of them. They lived as their evil kings had shown them, 9 secretly ·sinning [doing things that were not right] against the Lord their God. They ·built [set up] ·places to worship gods [L high places; 12:3] in all their cities, from the watchtower to the ·strong, walled [fortified] city. 10 They put up ·stone [sacred] pillars to gods and Asherah ·idols [poles; C a sacred tree or pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah; 13:6; 1 Kin. 14:15] on every high hill and under every ·green [spreading] tree. 11 The Israelites burned incense ·everywhere gods were worshiped [L on all the high places; 12:3], just as the nations who lived there before them had done, whom the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land. The Israelites did ·wicked [evil] things that ·made the Lord angry [aroused/provoked the Lord’s anger]. 12 They served idols when the Lord had said, “You must not do this.” 13 The Lord used every prophet and seer to warn Israel and Judah. He said, “·Stop [Turn from] your evil ways and ·obey [keep; observe] my commands and laws. Follow all the ·teachings [law; L torah] that I commanded your ·ancestors [fathers], the ·teachings [law; L torah] that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”
14 But the people would not listen. They were ·stubborn [L stiff-necked], just as their ·ancestors [fathers] had been who did not ·believe [trust; have faith] in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected the Lord’s laws and the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] he had ·made [L cut] with their ·ancestors [fathers]. And they refused to listen to his warnings [Deut. 12:30–31]. They worshiped ·useless [worthless; futile; vain] idols and became ·useless [worthless; futile; vain] themselves [1 Sam. 12:21]. They did what the nations around them did, which the Lord had ·warned [commanded; ordered] them not to do [Lev. 18:3, 24–28].
16 The people ·rejected [forsook] all the commands of the Lord their God. They molded ·statues [cast images] of two calves [1 Kin. 12:28–30], and they made an Asherah ·idol [pole; C a sacred tree or pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah; 13:6; Deut. 16:21]. They worshiped all the ·stars of the sky [forces/hosts of heaven; Deut. 4:19] and served Baal. 17 They ·made their sons and daughters pass through [sacrificed their sons and daughters in the] fire [16:3; 21:6; Deut. 12:31] and tried to find out the future by magic and witchcraft [1 Sam 15:23]. They always chose to do ·what the Lord said was wrong [evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], which ·made him angry [aroused/provoked him to anger]. 18 Because he was very angry with the people of Israel, he removed them from his ·presence [sight]. Only the tribe of Judah was left.
Judah Is Also Guilty
19 ·But even [Also] Judah did not ·obey [keep; observe] the commands of the Lord their God. They ·did what [followed/L walked in the practices] the Israelites had done, 20 so the Lord rejected all the ·people [descendants] of Israel. He ·punished [afflicted] them and ·let others destroy them [handed them over to plunderers/marauders]; he ·threw [banished; thrust] them out of his ·presence [sight]. 21 When the Lord ·separated [tore; ripped] them from the ·family [L house] of David, the Israelites made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam ·led [drew; enticed] the Israelites away from the Lord and led them to sin greatly [1 Kin. 13:33–34]. 22 So they ·continued to do [persisted; L walked in] all the sins Jeroboam did. They did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] these sins 23 until the Lord removed the Israelites from his ·presence [sight], just as he had ·said [warned; 14:15–16; 1 Kin. 9:7] through all his servants the prophets. So the Israelites were ·taken out of [carried into exile/deported from] their land to Assyria, and they have been there to this day.
The Beginning of the Samaritan People
24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and ·put [settled] them in the cities of Samaria to replace the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. These people took ·over [possession of] Samaria and lived in the cities. 25 At first they did not ·worship [revere; fear] the Lord, so he sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26 The king of Assyria was told, “You ·sent foreigners [deported/exiled/carried nations] into the cities of Samaria who do not know the ·law [custom] of the god of the land. This is why he has sent lions among them. The lions are killing them because they don’t know ·what the god wants [L the law/custom of the god of the land].”
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send back one of the priests you ·took away [carried into exile; deported]. Let him live there and teach the people ·what the god wants [L the law/custom of the god of the land].” 28 So one of the priests who had been carried ·away [into exile] from Samaria returned to live ·in [at] Bethel. And he taught the people how to ·honor [revere; fear] the Lord.
29 But each nation made gods of its own and put them in the cities where they lived and in the ·temples [L houses] ·where gods were worshiped [L of the high places; 12:3]. These ·temples [L houses] had been built by the Samaritans. 30 The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth their god. The people from Cuthah ·worshiped [made] Nergal. The people of Hamath ·worshiped [made] Ashima. 31 The Avvites ·worshiped [made] Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire, sacrificing them to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They also ·honored [revered; feared] the Lord, but they chose priests for the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; 12:3]. The priests were chosen from among themselves, and they ·made sacrifices [L officiated at the temple/houses of the high places] for the people. 33 The people ·honored [revered; feared] the Lord but also ·served [followed] their own gods, ·just as [L in accordance with the customs of] the nations ·did from which they had been brought [from which they had been exiled]. 34 Even today they ·do as they did in the past [practice their former customs]. They do not ·worship [revere; fear] the Lord nor obey his ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and commands. They do not ·obey [worship nor observe] the ·teachings [law; L torah] or the commands of the Lord, which he gave to the ·children [descendants] of Jacob, whom he had named Israel [Gen. 32:28]. 35 The Lord had made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them and had commanded them, “Do not ·honor [revere; fear] other gods. Do not bow down to them or ·worship [serve] them or offer sacrifices to them. 36 ·Worship [Revere; Fear] the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and ·strength [L an outstretched arm]. Bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him. 37 Always obey the rules, orders, ·teachings [law; L torah], and commands he wrote for you. Do not ·honor [revere; fear] other gods. 38 Do not forget the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] I made with you, and do not ·honor [revere; fear] other gods. 39 Instead ·worship [revere; fear] the Lord your God, who will ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from all your enemies.”
40 But the Israelites did not listen. They ·kept on doing the same things they had done before [continued in their former practices/custom]. 41 So these nations ·honored [revered; feared] the Lord but also ·worshiped [served] their idols, and their children and grandchildren still do as their ·ancestors [fathers] did.
Hezekiah King of Judah(A)
18 Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah became king during the third year Hoshea son of Elah was king of Israel. 2 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was ·Abijah [L Abi; in 2 Chr. 29:1 she is called Abijah] daughter of Zechariah. 3 Hezekiah did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his ·ancestor [father] David had done. 4 He removed the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; 12:3]. He smashed the stone pillars and ·cut down [smashed; broke] the Asherah ·idols [poles; C a sacred tree or pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah; 13:6]. Also the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] had been burning incense to Nehushtan, the bronze ·snake [serpent] Moses had made [Num. 21:9]. But Hezekiah broke it into pieces.
5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 Hezekiah ·was loyal [clung; held fast; remained faithful/devoted] to the Lord and did not ·stop [depart from] following him; he ·obeyed [kept] the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with Hezekiah, so he ·had success [prospered] in everything he did. He ·turned [rebelled] against the king of Assyria and stopped serving him [C stopped paying tribute]. 8 Hezekiah defeated the Philistines ·all the way to [as far as] Gaza and its ·borders [territory], ·including [from] the watchtowers and the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities.
The Assyrians Capture Samaria(B)
9 Shalmaneser king of Assyria surrounded Samaria and ·attacked [besieged] it in the fourth year Hezekiah was king. This was the seventh year Hoshea son of Elah was king of Israel. 10 After three years the Assyrians captured Samaria. This was in the sixth year Hezekiah was king, which was Hoshea’s ninth year as king of Israel. 11 The king of Assyria ·took [carried] the Israelites away to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This happened because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God. They broke his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] and did not obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded. They would not listen to the commands or do them.
Paul in Macedonia and Greece
20 When the ·trouble stopped [uproar ended], Paul sent for the ·followers [disciples] to come to him. After he encouraged them and then told them good-bye, he left and went to Macedonia [C northern Greece; 16:9]. 2 He ·said many things to strengthen the followers [L encouraged them with many words] in the different places on his way through Macedonia. Then he ·went to [arrived in] Greece [probably Achaia (southern Greece)], 3 where he stayed for three months [C probably in Corinth; at this time he wrote his letter to the Romans]. He was ready to sail for Syria, but some of the Jews were ·planning [plotting] something against him. So Paul decided to go back through Macedonia to Syria. 4 The men who went with him were Sopater [Rom. 16:21] son of Pyrrhus, from the city of Berea [17:10–15]; Aristarchus [19:29; Col. 4:10; Philem. 24] and Secundus, from the city of Thessalonica [17:1–9]; Gaius [19:29], from Derbe [14:20–21]; Timothy [Rom. 16:21]; and Tychicus [Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:12] and Trophimus [21:29; 2 Tim. 4:20], two men from Asia [C all representatives of the Gentile churches delivering a financial gift to the church in Jerusalem]. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas [C here begins the second “we” section in Acts, indicating that the author, Luke, has rejoined Paul (16:10–17; 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:16)]. 6 We sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread [C another name for Passover; Ex. 12:14–20]. Five days later we met them in Troas [16:8], where we stayed for seven days.
Eutychus Raised from the Dead at Troas
7 On the first day of the week [C Sunday; or perhaps Saturday night since the Jewish day began in the evening (Greeks reckoned from the morning)], we all met together to break bread [C probably a reference to the Lord’s Supper; Luke 22:14–20], and Paul ·spoke to [or was having a discussion with] the group. Because he was planning to leave the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. 8 We were all together in a room upstairs, and there were many lamps in the room [C using up oxygen and causing drowsiness]. 9 A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. As Paul continued talking, Eutychus was falling into a deep sleep. Finally, he went sound asleep and fell to the ground from the third floor. When they picked him up, he was dead. 10 Paul went down to Eutychus, ·knelt down [or threw himself on him; C like Elisha; 2 Kin. 4:32–35], and ·put his arms around [embraced] him. He said, “Don’t ·worry [fear]. ·He is alive now [L For his life/soul is in him].” 11 Then Paul went upstairs again, broke bread, and ate. He spoke to them a long time, until ·it was early morning [dawn], and then he left. 12 They took the young man home alive and were ·greatly [L not in a small measure] comforted.
The Trip from Troas to Miletus
13 We went on ahead of Paul and sailed for the city of Assos [C on the east coast of the Aegean in the Gulf of Adramyttium], where we ·intended [planned] to take Paul on board. Paul ·planned [arranged] it this way because he wanted to go to Assos by land. 14 When he met us there, we took him aboard and went to Mitylene [C the main city on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean]. 15 We sailed from ·Mitylene [L there] and the next day came to a place ·near [opposite; across from] Kios [C an island five miles off the coast in the Aegean]. The following day we sailed to Samos [C another island off the coast in the Aegean], and the next day we reached Miletus [C a city on the western coast of Asia Minor]. 16 [L For] Paul had already decided ·not to stop at [L to sail past] Ephesus [18:19], because he did not want to stay too long in [C the province of] Asia [C with so many friends in Ephesus (ch. 19), a short stop would be impossible]. He was hurrying to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost [C one of three great Jewish festivals, celebrated 50 days after Passover], if that were possible.
The Elders from Ephesus
17 Now from Miletus [20:15] Paul sent to Ephesus [18:19; 19:1–41] and called for the elders [14:23; 1 Tim. 5:17] of the church. 18 When they came to him, he said, “You know about my life from the first day I came to Asia [18:19]. You know the way I lived all the time I was with you [19:1–41]. 19 ·Some Jewish opponents [L The Jews] ·made plans [plotted] against me, which ·troubled me very much [severely tested/tried me]. But you know I always served the Lord ·unselfishly [L with humility], and ·I often cried [in sorrowful times; L with tears]. 20 You know I preached to you and did not hold back anything that would help you. You know that I taught you in public and ·in your homes [from house to house]. 21 I ·warned [witnessed/testified to] both Jews and Greeks to ·change their lives and turn to God [repent] and believe in our Lord Jesus. 22 But now [L indeed; T behold] ·I must obey the Holy Spirit and [L bound/compelled by the Spirit, I must] go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit ·tells [warns; testifies to] me that ·troubles and even jail [L chains and persecutions/afflictions] wait for me. 24 [L But] I don’t ·care about my own life [consider my life worth anything]. ·The most important thing [or My only goal] is that I ·complete [finish] my ·mission [task; course; L race; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1], the ·work [ministry; service] that ·the Lord Jesus gave me [L I received from the Lord Jesus]—to ·tell people [testify/witness to] the ·Good News [Gospel] about God’s grace.
25 “And now [L look; T behold], I know that none of you among whom I was ·preaching [proclaiming] the ·kingdom of God [L kingdom] will ever see ·me [L my face] again. 26 So today I ·tell [testify/witness to] you that ·if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible [L I am innocent/clean of the blood of everyone; Ezek. 33:9], 27 because I ·have told [L have not held back from telling] you ·everything God wants you to know [or the whole purpose/plan/will of God]. 28 ·Be careful for [Keep watch over] yourselves and for all the ·people [L flock] the Holy Spirit has ·given to you to oversee [L made you overseers/guardians; John 21:16]. You must be like shepherds to the church of God,[a] which he ·bought [or obtained] with the ·death of his own Son [L with the blood of his own (Son); or with his own blood]. 29 I know that after ·I leave [my departure; I am gone], ·some people will come like wild wolves [L wild/savage wolves will come in among you] and ·try to destroy [will not spare] the flock. 30 ·Also, [or Even] some from your own group will rise up and ·twist the truth [L speak perversions/distortions] and will ·lead away [lure; entice] ·followers [disciples] after them. 31 So ·be careful [keep watch]! Always remember that for three years, day and night, I never stopped warning [admonishing; instructing] each of you, ·and I often cried over you [L with tears].
32 “Now I ·am putting you in the care of [commend/commit/entrust you to] God and the ·message [word] about his grace. It is able to ·give you strength [edify you; build you up], and it will give you the ·blessings God has [L inheritance] ·for [or among] all ·his holy people [those who are sanctified; those set apart for himself]. 33 When I was with you, I never ·wanted [coveted] anyone’s ·money [L silver or gold] or fine clothes [Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21; 1 Sam. 12:3]. 34 You [L yourselves] know I always worked [L with my own hands] to take care of my own needs and the needs of those who were with me. 35 I ·showed [provided an example to] you ·in all things [in everything I did] that you should work as I did and help the weak. I taught you to remember the words Jesus said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive [C a saying of Jesus not recorded elsewhere in Scripture].’”
36 ·When [After] Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
The World Should Praise the Lord
148 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the ·skies [heavens].
Praise him ·high above the earth [in the heights].
2 Praise him, all you ·angels [messengers].
Praise him, all ·you armies of heaven [his hosts; C the angelic army].
3 Praise him, sun and moon.
Praise him, all you ·shining stars [L stars of light].
4 Praise him, ·highest heavens [L heaven of heavens]
and you waters above the ·sky [heavens].
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
because ·they were created by his command [L he commands and they were created; Gen. 1].
6 He ·put them in place [L made them stand] forever and ever;
he made a ·law [statute; requirement; ordinance] that will never ·change [pass].
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you large sea ·animals [monsters; C like Leviathan; 74:12–17; 104:26; Gen. 1:21; Job 3:8; 41; Is. 27:1] and all the ·oceans [deeps],
8 ·lightning [L fire] and hail, snow and ·mist [cloud; or smoke],
and stormy winds that ·obey him [L do his word],
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
crawling animals and birds,
11 kings of the earth and all ·nations [peoples],
princes and all ·rulers [judges] of the earth,
12 young men and women,
old people and ·children [youth].
13 Praise the name of the Lord,
because ·he [L his name] alone is ·great [exalted].
·He is more wonderful than [L His splendor is over] heaven and earth.
14 God has ·given his people a king [exalted/raised a horn over his people; C an animal’s horn symbolizes power].
He should be praised by all ·who belong to him [his saints/loyal ones];
he should be praised by the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], the people ·closest to his heart [L nearest to him].
Praise the Lord!
6 The ·words [L lips] of fools ·start quarrels [or make accusations].
·They make people want to beat them [L Their mouth invites a beating].
7 The ·words [L mouth] of fools will ruin them;
their own ·words [L lips] will trap them.
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