Luke 12:35-48
[35]
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, [36] and be like
men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding
feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and
knocks. [37] Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when
he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and
have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. [38] If he
comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake,
blessed are those servants! [39] But know this, that if the master of
the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have
left his house to be broken into. [40] You also must be ready, for the
Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
[41]
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
[42] And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom
his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of
food at the proper time? [43] Blessed is that servant whom his master
will find so doing when he comes. [44] Truly, I say to you, he will set
him over all his possessions. [45] But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female
servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, [46] the master of that
servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he
does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the
unfaithful. [47] And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not
get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
[48] But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will
receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much
will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will
demand the more.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
[6]
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not
in accord with the tradition that you received from us. [7] For you
yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle
when we were with you, [8] nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying
for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might
not be a burden to any of you. [9] It was not because we do not have
that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. [10] For
even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone
is not willing to work, let him not eat. [11] For we hear that some
among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. [12] Now
such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do
their work quietly and to earn their own living.
[13] As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
Psalm 149
[1] Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
[2] Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
[3] Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
[4] For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
[5] Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
[6] Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
[7] to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
[8] to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
[9] to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the LORD!
2 Chronicles 30
[1]
Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to
Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. [2] For
the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken
counsel to keep the Passover in the second month—[3] for they could not
keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves
in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem—[4] and
the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. [5] So they
decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to
Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the LORD, the
God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as
prescribed. [6] So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with
letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded,
saying, “O people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have
escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. [7] Do not be like your
fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the LORD God of their
fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. [8] Do not now
be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD
and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve
the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. [9] For
if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find
compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the LORD your
God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you,
if you return to him.”
[10]
So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim
and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and
mocked them. [11] However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of
Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. [12] The hand of God
was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the
princes commanded by the word of the LORD.
[13]
And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of
Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. [14] They
set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the
altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook
Kidron. [15] And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth
day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed,
so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the
house of the LORD. [16] They took their accustomed posts according to
the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they
received from the hand of the Levites. [17] For there were many in the
assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had
to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to
consecrate it to the LORD. [18] For a majority of the people, many of
them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed
themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For
Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon everyone
[19] who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers,
even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.” [20]
And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. [21] And the people
of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened
Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests
praised the LORD day by day, singing with all their might to the LORD.
[22] And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good
skill in the service of the LORD. So they ate the food of the festival
for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the
LORD, the God of their fathers.
[23]
Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another
seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. [24]
For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep
for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000
sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. [25]
The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the
whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out
of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced.
[26] So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon
the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in
Jerusalem. [27] Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the
people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy
habitation in heaven.
2 Chronicles 31
[1]
Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to
the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the
Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all
Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had
destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their
cities, every man to his possession.
[2]
And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites,
division by division, each according to his service, the priests and
the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the
gates of the camp of the LORD and to give thanks and praise. [3] The
contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt
offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt
offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, as
it is written in the Law of the LORD. [4] And he commanded the people
who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the
Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the LORD. [5] As
soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in
abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the
produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of
everything. [6] And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the
cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the
tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the LORD their
God, and laid them in heaps. [7] In the third month they began to pile
up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. [8] When Hezekiah
and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his
people Israel. [9] And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites
about the heaps. [10] Azariah the chief priest, who was of the house of
Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into
the house of the LORD, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty
left, for the LORD has blessed his people, so that we have this large
amount left.”
[11]
Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare chambers in the house of the
LORD, and they prepared them. [12] And they faithfully brought in the
contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer
in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with Shimei his brother as
second, [13] while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad,
Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah
and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and
Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. [14] And Kore the son of
Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill
offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the LORD
and the most holy offerings. [15] Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah,
Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in the cities of
the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young
alike, by divisions, [16] except those enrolled by genealogy, males
from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the LORD as
the duty of each day required—for their service according to their
offices, by their divisions. [17] The enrollment of the priests was
according to their fathers’ houses; that of the Levites from twenty
years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions.
[18] They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives,
their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were
faithful in keeping themselves holy. [19] And for the sons of Aaron, the
priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their
cities, there were men in the several cities who were designated by name
to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone
among the Levites who was enrolled.
[20]
Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and
right and faithful before the LORD his God. [21] And every work that he
undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the
law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart,
and prospered.
2 Chronicles 32
[1]
After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified
cities, thinking to win them for himself. [2] And when Hezekiah saw that
Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, [3] he
planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the
springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. [4] A great
many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the
brook that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of
Assyria come and find much water?” [5] He set to work resolutely and
built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it,
and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in
the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. [6]
And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together
to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to
them, saying, [7] “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or
dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him,
for there are more with us than with him. [8] With him is an arm of
flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our
battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king
of Judah.
[9]
After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was besieging Lachish with
all his forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem to Hezekiah king of
Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, [10]
“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting, that
you endure the siege in Jerusalem? [11] Is not Hezekiah misleading you,
that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells
you, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of
Assyria”? [12] Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and
his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, “Before one altar you
shall worship, and on it you shall burn your sacrifices”? [13] Do you
not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other
lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to
deliver their lands out of my hand? [14] Who among all the gods of those
nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his
people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my
hand? [15] Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead
you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or
kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the
hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my
hand!’”
[16]
And his servants said still more against the LORD God and against his
servant Hezekiah. [17] And he wrote letters to cast contempt on the
LORD, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, “Like the
gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people
from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from
my hand.” [18] And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of
Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and
terrify them, in order that they might take the city. [19] And they
spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples
of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.
[20]
Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed
because of this and cried to heaven. [21] And the LORD sent an angel,
who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the
camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his
own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own
sons struck him down there with the sword. [22] So the LORD saved
Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib
king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided
for them on every side. [23] And many brought gifts to the LORD to
Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was
exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.
[24]
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and
he prayed to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign. [25] But
Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for
his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and
Jerusalem. [26] But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart,
both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD
did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
[27]
And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself
treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for
shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels; [28] storehouses also for
the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle,
and sheepfolds. [29] He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks
and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions.
[30] This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon
and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And
Hezekiah prospered in all his works. [31] And so in the matter of the
envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire
about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself,
in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
[32]
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they
are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the
Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. [33] And Hezekiah slept with his
fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the sons
of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor
at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 33
[1]
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
fifty-five years in Jerusalem. [2] And he did what was evil in the sight
of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD
drove out before the people of Israel. [3] For he rebuilt the high
places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and he erected altars
to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven
and served them. [4] And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of
which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.” [5]
And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the
house of the LORD. [6] And he burned his sons as an offering in the
Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and
sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil
in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. [7] And the carved
image of the idol that he had made he set in the house of God, of which
God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in
Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will
put my name forever, [8] and I will no more remove the foot of Israel
from the land that I appointed for your fathers, if only they will be
careful to do all that I have commanded them, all the law, the statutes,
and the rules given through Moses.” [9] Manasseh led Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom
the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel.
[10]
The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no
attention. [11] Therefore the LORD brought upon them the commanders of
the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and
bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. [12] And
when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and
humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. [13] He prayed to
him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought
him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the
LORD was God.
[14]
Afterward he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon,
in the valley, and for the entrance into the Fish Gate, and carried it
around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. He also put
commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah. [15] And he
took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and
all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the
LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside of the city. [16] He
also restored the altar of the LORD and offered on it sacrifices of
peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the
LORD, the God of Israel. [17] Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed
at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
[18]
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and
the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God
of Israel, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
[19] And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his
sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places
and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself,
behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers.
[20] So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his house, and Amon his son reigned in his place.
[21]
Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
two years in Jerusalem. [22] And he did what was evil in the sight of
the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. Amon sacrificed to all the
images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them. [23] And he
did not humble himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had
humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more. [24] And
his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his house.
[25] But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired
against King Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king
in his place.
