The Gospel according to
JOHN
The Word of Life
John 1 In the
beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. 2From the very
beginning the Word was with God. 3Through him
God made all things; not one thing in all creation was
made without him. 4The Word was the source of
life, and this life brought light to people. 5The
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never
put it out.
6God
sent his messenger, a man named John, 7who
came to tell people about the light, so that all should
hear the message and believe. 8He himself was
not the light; he came to tell about the light. 9This
was the real light--the light that comes into the world
and shines on all people.
10The
Word was in the world, and though God made the world
through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11He
came to his own country, but his own people did not
receive him. 12Some, however, did receive him
and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become
God's children. 13They did not become God's
children by natural means, that is, by being born as the
children of a human father; God himself was their Father.
14The
Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth,
lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he
received as the Father's only Son.
15John
spoke about him. He cried out, "This is the one I
was talking about when I said, 'He comes after me, but he
is greater than I am, because he existed before I was
born.'"
16Out
of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all,
giving us one blessing after another. 17God
gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came
through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen
God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the
Father's side, he has made him known.
The Descendants
of Reuben
1 Chronicles 5 These
are the descendants of Reuben, the oldest of Jacob's
sons. (Because he had sex with one of his father's
concubines, he lost the rights belonging to the
first-born son, and those rights were given to Joseph. 2It
was the tribe of Judah, however, that became the
strongest and provided a ruler for all the tribes.) 3Reuben,
the oldest of Jacob's sons, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu,
Hezron, and Carmi.
4-6These
are the descendants of Joel from generation to
generation: Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal,
and Beerah. The Assyrian emperor, Tiglath Pileser,
captured Beerah, a leader of the tribe, and
deported him.
7The
family records list the following clan leaders in the
tribe of Reuben: Jeiel, Zechariah, 8and Bela,
the son of Azaz and grandson of Shema, of the clan of
Joel. This clan lived in Aroer and in the territory from
there north to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9They had
large herds in the land of Gilead, and so they occupied
the land as far east as the desert that stretches all the
way to the Euphrates River.
10In
the time of King Saul the tribe of Reuben attacked the
Hagrites, killed them in battle, and occupied their land
in the eastern part of Gilead.
The Descendants of Gad
11The
tribe of Gad lived to the north of Reuben in the land of
Bashan as far east as Salecah. 12Joel was the
founder of the leading clan, and Shapham of the second
most important clan. Janai and Shaphat were founders of
other clans in Bashan. 13The other members of
the tribe belonged to the following seven clans: Michael,
Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14They
were descendants of Abihail son of Huri, whose ancestors
were traced back as follows: Abihail, Huri, Jaroah,
Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, Buz. 15Ahi,
the son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was head of these
clans. 16They lived in the territory of Bashan
and Gilead, in the towns there and all over the pasture
lands of Sharon. ( 17These records were
compiled in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King
Jeroboam II of Israel.)
The Armies of the
Eastern Tribes
18In
the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh there were
44,760 soldiers, well-trained in the use of shields,
swords, and bows. 19They went to war against
the Hagrite tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20They
put their trust in God and prayed to him for help, and
God answered their prayers and made them victorious over
the Hagrites and their allies. 21They captured
from the enemy 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000
donkeys, and took 100,000 prisoners of war. 22They
killed many of the enemy, because the war was God's will.
And they went on living in that territory until the
exile.
The People of East
Manasseh
23The
people of East Manasseh settled in the territory of
Bashan as far north as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount
Hermon, and their population increased greatly. 24The
following were the heads of their clans: Epher, Ishi,
Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were
all outstanding soldiers, well-known leaders of their
clans.
The Eastern Tribes Are
Deported
25But
the people were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors
and deserted him to worship the gods of the nations whom
God had driven out of the land. 26So God
caused Emperor Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath
Pileser) to invade their country. He deported the tribes
of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh and settled them
permanently in Halah, Habor, and Hara, and by the Gozan
River.
The Family Line of the
High Priests
1 Chronicles 6 Levi
had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2Kohath
had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3Amram
had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and one daughter, Miriam.
Aaron
had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4The
descendants of Eleazar from generation to generation are
as follows: Phinehas, Abishua, 5Bukki, Uzzi, 6Zerahiah,
Meraioth, 7Amariah, Ahitub, 8Zadok,
Ahimaaz, 9Azariah, Johanan, 10Azariah
(the one who served in the Temple which King Solomon
built in Jerusalem), 11Amariah, Ahitub, 12Zadok,
Shallum, 13Hilkiah, Azariah, 14Seraiah,
Jehozadak. 15King Nebuchadnezzar deported
Jehozadak along with the other people of Judah and
Jerusalem whom the LORD sent into
exile.
Other Descendants
of Levi
16Levi
had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 17Each
of them also had sons. Gershon was the father of Libni
and Shimei; 18Kohath was the father of Amram,
Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; 19and Merari was
the father of Mahli and Mushi.
20These
are the descendants of Gershon from generation to
generation: Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, 21Joah,
Iddo, Zerah, Jeatherai.
22These
are the descendants of Kohath from generation to
generation: Amminadab, Korah, Assir, 23Elkanah,
Ebiasaph, Assir, 24Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah,
Shaul.
25Elkanah
had two sons, Amasai and Ahimoth. 26These are
Ahimoth's descendants from generation to generation:
Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, 27Eliab, Jeroham,
Elkanah.
28Samuel
had two sons: Joel, the older, and Abijah, the younger.
29These
are the descendants of Merari from generation to
generation: Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, 30Shimea,
Haggiah, Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31These
are the men whom King David put in charge of the music at
the place of worship in Jerusalem after the Covenant Box
was moved there. 32They took regular turns of
duty at the Tent of the LORD's
presence during the time before King Solomon built the
Temple. 33The family lines of those who held
this office are as follows:
The
clan of Kohath: Heman, the leader of the first choir, was
the son of Joel. His family line went back to Jacob as
follows: Heman, Joel, Samuel, 34Elkanah,
Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, 35Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath,
Amasai, 36Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, 37Tahath,
Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah, 38Izhar, Kohath, Levi,
Jacob.
39Asaph
was leader of the second choir. His family line went back
to Levi as follows: Asaph, Berechiah, Shimea, 40Michael,
Baaseiah, Malchijah, 41Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, 42Ethan,
Zimmah, Shimei, 43Jahath, Gershon, Levi.
44Ethan
of the clan of Merari was the leader of the third choir.
His family line went back to Levi as follows: Ethan,
Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, 45Hashabiah, Amaziah,
Hilkiah, 46Amzi, Bani, Shemer, 47Mahli,
Mushi, Merari, Levi.
48The
other Levites were assigned all the other duties at the
place of worship.
The Descendants
of Aaron
49Aaron
and his descendants presented the offerings of incense
and offered the sacrifices that were burnt on the altar.
They were responsible for all the worship in the Most
Holy Place and for the sacrifices by which God forgives
Israel's sins. They did all this in accordance with the
instructions given by Moses, God's servant. 50This
is the line of Aaron's descendants: Eleazar, Phinehas,
Abishua, 51Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, 52Meraioth,
Amariah, Ahitub, 53Zadok, Ahimaaz.
Where the Levites Lived
54This
is the territory assigned to the descendants of Aaron of
the clan of Kohath. They received the first share of the
land assigned to the Levites. 55This included
Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pasture lands
around it. 56The fields and villages, however,
that belonged to the city were assigned to Caleb son of
Jephunneh. 57-59The following towns were
assigned to Aaron's descendants: Hebron, a city of
refuge, Jattir, and the towns of Libnah, Eshtemoa, Hilen,
Debir, Ashan, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasture lands.
60In the territory of Benjamin they were
assigned the following towns with their pasture lands:
Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth. This made a total of
thirteen towns for all their families to live in. 61Ten
towns in the territory of West Manasseh were assigned by
lot to the rest of the clan of Kohath, family by family.
62To
the clan of Gershon, family by family, were assigned
thirteen towns in the territories of Issachar, Asher,
Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan. 63In
the same way, twelve towns in the territories of Reuben,
Gad, and Zebulun were assigned to the clan of Merari,
family by family. 64In this way the people of
Israel assigned towns for the Levites to live in,
together with the pasture lands around the towns. ( 65The
towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin,
mentioned above, were also assigned by drawing lots.)
66Some
of the families of the clan of Kohath were assigned towns
and pasture lands in the territory of Ephraim: 67Shechem,
the city of refuge in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer, 68Jokmeam,
Beth Horon, 69Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon. 70In
the territory of West Manasseh they were assigned the
towns of Aner and Bileam with the surrounding pasture
lands.
71The
families of the clan of Gershon were assigned the
following towns, with the surrounding pasture lands:
In
the territory of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan, and
Ashtaroth.
72In
the territory of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath, 73Ramoth,
and Anem.
74In
the territory of Asher: Mashal, Abdon, 75Hukok,
and Rehob.
76In
the territory of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and
Kiriathaim.
77The
remaining families of the clan of Merari were assigned
the following towns with the surrounding pasture lands:
In
the territory of Zebulun: Rimmono and Tabor.
78In
the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River beyond
Jericho: Bezer on the plateau, Jahzah, 79Kedemoth,
and Mephaath.
80In
the territory of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81Heshbon,
and Jazer.
A Plea for Repentance
Zephaniah 2
Shameless nation, come to your senses 2before
you are driven away like chaff blown by the wind, before
the burning anger of the LORD comes
upon you, before the day when he shows his fury. 3Turn
to the LORD, all you humble people
of the land, who obey his commands. Do what is right, and
humble yourselves before the LORD.
Perhaps you will escape punishment on the day when the LORD shows his anger.
The Doom of the Nations
around Israel
4No
one will be left in the city of Gaza. Ashkelon will be
deserted. The people of Ashdod will be driven out in half
a day, and the people of Ekron will be driven from their
city. 5You Philistines are doomed, you people
who live along the coast. The LORD
has passed sentence on you. He will destroy you, and not
one of you will be left. 6Your land by the sea
will become open fields with shepherd's huts and sheep
pens. 7The people of Judah who survive will
occupy your land. They will pasture their flocks there
and sleep in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD
their God will be with them and make them prosper again.
8The
LORD Almighty says, "I have
heard the people of Moab and Ammon insulting and taunting
my people, and boasting that they would seize their land.
9As surely as I am the living LORD,
the God of Israel, I swear that Moab and Ammon are going
to be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. They will become
a place of salt pits and everlasting ruin, overgrown with
weeds. Those of my people who survive will plunder them
and take their land."
10That
is how the people of Moab and Ammon will be punished for
their pride and arrogance and for insulting the people of
the LORD Almighty. 11The
LORD will terrify them. He will
reduce the gods of the earth to nothing, and then every
nation will worship him, each in its own land.
12The
LORD will also put the people of
Ethiopia to death.
13The
LORD will use his power to destroy
Assyria. He will make the city of Nineveh a deserted
ruin, a waterless desert. 14It will be a place
where flocks, herds, and animals of every kind will lie
down. Owls will live among its ruins and hoot from the
windows. Crows will caw on the doorsteps. The cedar wood
of her buildings will be stripped away. 15That
is what will happen to the city that is so proud of its
own power and thinks it is safe. Its people think that
their city is the greatest in the world. What a desolate
place it will become, a place where wild animals will
rest! Everyone who passes by will shrink back in horror.
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