JOHN

The Word of Life

John 1 In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with God and was truly God.
²From the very beginning the Word was with God.

³And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word.
Everything that was created ⁴received its life from him,
and his life gave light to everyone.
⁵The light keeps shining in the dark,
and darkness has never put it out.
⁶God sent a man named John,
⁷who came to tell about the light
and to lead all people to have faith.
⁸John wasn't that light.
He came only to tell about the light.

⁹The true light that shines on everyone
was coming into the world.
¹⁰The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world with his Word.
¹¹He came into his own world,
but his own nation did not welcome him.
¹²Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right to be the children of God.
¹³They were not God's children by nature
or because of any human desires.
God himself was the one who made them his children.

¹⁴The Word became a human being and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son of the Father.
From him all the kindness and all the truth of God
have come down to us.
¹⁵John spoke about him and shouted, "This is the one I told you would come! He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born."
¹⁶Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another. ¹⁷The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.

The Descendants of Reuben

1 Chronicles 5 Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob, but he lost his rights as the first-born son because he slept with one of his father's wives. The honor of the first-born son was then given to Joseph, ²even though it was the Judah tribe that became the most powerful and produced a leader.
³Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
^4-6The descendants of Joel included Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah, a leader of the Reuben tribe. Later, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Beerah away as prisoner.
^7-8The family records also include Jeiel, who was a clan leader, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz and grandson of Shema of the Joel clan. They lived in the territory around the town of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon, ⁹and as far east as the desert just west of the Euphrates River. They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead.
¹⁰When Saul was king, the Reuben tribe attacked and defeated the Hagrites, then took over their land east of Gilead.

The Descendants of Gad

¹¹The tribe of Gad lived in the region of Bashan, north of the Reuben tribe. Gad's territory extended all the way to the town of Salecah. ¹²Some of the clan leaders were Joel, Shapham, Janai, and Shaphat. ¹³Their relatives included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.
¹⁴They were all descendants of Abihail, whose family line went back through Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, and Buz. ¹⁵Ahi, the son of Abdiel and the grandson of Guni, was the leader of their clan.
¹⁶The people of Gad lived in the towns in the regions of Bashan and Gilead, as well as in the pastureland of Sharon. ¹⁷Their family records were written when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.
¹⁸The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers trained to fight in battle with shields, swords, bows, and arrows. ¹⁹They fought against the Hagrites and the tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰Whenever these soldiers went to war against their enemies, they prayed to God and trusted him to help. That's why the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh defeated the Hagrites and their allies. ²¹These Israelite tribes captured fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand people. ²²Many of the Hagrites died in battle, because God was fighting this battle against them. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh lived in that territory until they were taken as prisoners to Assyria.

The Tribe of East Manasseh

²³East Manasseh was a large tribe, so its people settled in the northern region of Bashan, as far north as Baal-Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. ²⁴Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel were their clan leaders; they were well-known leaders and brave soldiers.

The Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and
East Manasseh Are Defeated

²⁵The people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh were unfaithful to the God their ancestors had worshiped, and they started worshiping the gods of the nations that God had forced out of Canaan. ²⁶So God sent King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to attack these Israelite tribes. The king led them away as prisoners to Assyria, and from then on, he forced them to live in Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River.

The Descendants of Levi

1 Chronicles 6 Levi was the father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
²Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ³Amram was the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
^4-14Eleazar's descendants included Phinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, Ahimaaz, Azariah, Johanan, Azariah the priest who served in the temple built by King Solomon, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, Shallum, Hilkiah, Azariah, Seraiah, and Jehozadak. ¹⁵King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia took Jehozadak to Babylon as prisoner when the LORD let the people of Judah and Jerusalem be dragged from their land.
¹⁶Levi's three sons had sons of their own. ¹⁷Gershon was the father of Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ¹⁹Merari was the father of Mahli and Mushi. These descendants of Levi each became leaders of their own clans.
^20-21Gershon's descendants included Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, Joah, Iddo, Zerah, and Jeatherai.
^22-24Kohath's descendants included Amminadab, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, and Shaul.
²⁵Elkanah was the father of Amasai and Ahimoth. ^26-27Ahimoth's descendants included Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, Eliab, Jeroham, and Elkanah.
²⁸Samuel was the father of Joel and Abijah, born in that order.
^29-30Merari's descendants included Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, Shimea, Haggiah, and Asaiah.

The Temple Musicians

³¹After King David had the sacred chest moved to Jerusalem, he appointed musicians from the Levi tribe to be in charge of the music at the place of worship. ³²These musicians served at the sacred tent and later at the LORD's temple that King Solomon built.
^33-38Here is a list of these musicians and their family lines:
Heman from the Kohathite clan was the director. His ancestors went all the way back to Jacob and included Joel, Samuel, Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah, Izhar, Kohath, Levi.
^39-43Asaph was Heman's relative and served as his assistant. Asaph's ancestors included Berechiah, Shimea, Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah, Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, Jahath, Gershon, and Levi.
^44-47Ethan was also Heman's relative and served as his assistant. Ethan belonged to the Merari clan, and his ancestors included Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, Amzi, Bani, Shemer, Mahli, Mushi, Merari, and Levi.
⁴⁸The rest of the Levites were appointed to work at the sacred tent.

The Descendants of Aaron

⁴⁹Only Aaron and his descendants were allowed to offer sacrifices and incense on the two altars at the sacred tent. They were in charge of the most holy place and the ceremonies to forgive sins, just as God's servant Moses had commanded.
^50-53Aaron's descendants included his son Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, and Ahimaaz.

The Towns for the Levites
(Joshua 21.1-42)

⁵⁴Aaron's descendants belonged to the Levite clan of Kohath, and they were the first group chosen to receive towns to live in. ⁵⁵They received the town of Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pastureland around it. ⁵⁶But the farmland and villages around Hebron were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ^57-59So Aaron's descendants received the following Safe Towns and the pastureland around them: Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth-Shemesh. ⁶⁰From the Benjamin tribe they were given the towns of Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth and the pastureland around them. Thirteen towns were given to Aaron's descendants.
⁶¹The rest of the Levite clan of Kohath received ten towns from West Manasseh.
⁶²The Levite clan of Gershon received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan.
⁶³The Levite clan of Merari received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
⁶⁴So the people of Israel gave the Levites towns to live in and the pastureland around them. ⁶⁵All the towns were chosen with the LORD's help, including those towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
⁶⁶Some of the families of the Kohath clan received their towns from the tribe of Ephraim. ^67-69These families received the following Safe Towns and the pastureland around them: Shechem in the hill country, Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth-Horon, Aijalon, and Gath-Rimmon. ⁷⁰And from West Manasseh they received Aner and Bileam, together with their pastureland.
⁷¹The Gershonite clan received two towns from the tribe of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth, including the pastureland around them. ^72-73The Gershonites also received four towns from the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, and Anem, including the pastureland around them. ^74-75The Gershonites received four towns from the tribe of Asher: Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, and Rehob, including the pastureland around them. ⁷⁶Finally, the Gershonites received three towns from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, including the pastureland around them.
⁷⁷The rest of the Merari clan received the towns of Rimmono and Tabor and their pastureland from the tribe of Zebulun. ^78-79They also received four towns east of the Jordan River from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the flatlands, Jahzah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath, including the pastures around them. ^80-81And from the tribe of Gad the Merarites received the towns of Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer, including the pastureland around them.

Turn to the LORD

Zephaniah 2 You disgraceful nation, gather around,
²before it's too late.
The LORD has set a time when his fierce anger
will strike like a storm and sweep you away.
³If you humbly obey the LORD, then come and worship him.
If you do right and are humble,
perhaps you will be safe on that day
when the LORD turns loose his anger.

Judgment on Philistia

⁴Gaza and Ashkelon will be deserted and left in ruins.
Ashdod will be emptied in broad daylight,
and Ekron uprooted.
⁵To you people of Philistia who live along the coast,
the LORD has this to say:
"I am now your enemy, and I'll wipe you out!"

⁶Your seacoast will be changed
into pastureland and sheep pens.
⁷The LORD God hasn't forgotten those survivors in Judah,
and he will help them--
his people will take your land to use for pasture.
And when evening comes, they will rest
in houses at Ashkelon.

Judgment on Moab and Ammon

^*8The LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, said:
I've heard Moab and Ammon insult my people
and threaten their nation.
⁹And so, I swear by my very life
that Moab and Ammon will end up
like Sodom and Gomorrah--
covered with thornbushes and salt pits forever.
Then my people who survive will take their land.
¹⁰This is how Moab and Ammon will at last be repaid
for their pride--
and for sneering at the nation that belongs to me,
the LORD All-Powerful.
¹¹I will fiercely attack. Then every god on this earth
will shrink to nothing,
and everyone of every nation will bow down to me,
right where they are.

Judgment on Ethiopia

¹²People of Ethiopia, the sword of the LORD
will slaughter you!

Judgment on Assyria

¹³The LORD will reach to the north to crush Assyria
and overthrow Nineveh.
¹⁴Herds of wild animals will live in its rubble;
all kinds of desert owls will perch on its stones
and hoot in the windows.
Noisy ravens will be heard inside its buildings,
stripped bare of cedar.
¹⁵This is the glorious city that felt secure and said,
"I am the only one!"
Now it's merely ruins, a home for wild animals.
Every passerby simply sneers and makes vulgar signs.