Legacy Standard Bible

2 Kings 17

Hoshea Reigns over Israel

17In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, aHoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned nine years. 2And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3aShalmaneser king of Assyria went up bagainst him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
5Then the king of Assyria went up against the whole land and he went up to aSamaria and besieged it three years.

Israel Exiled to Assyria

6In the ninth year of Hoshea, athe king of Assyria captured Samaria and btook Israel away into exile to Assyria, and csettled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of dGozan, and ein the cities of the Medes.

Israel Rejects Yahweh

7Now athis happened because the sons of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God—bwho had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt—cand they had 1feared other gods 8and awalked in the statutes of the nations whom Yahweh had dispossessed from before the sons of Israel, and in the statutes bof the kings of Israel which they had made. 9And the sons of Israel 1did things secretly which were not right against Yahweh their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from awatchtower to fortified city. 10aAnd they set for themselves sacred pillars and 1,bAsherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which Yahweh had taken away into exile before them; and they did evil things provoking Yahweh to anger. 12And they served idols, aconcerning which Yahweh had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13Yet aYahweh warned Israel and Judah bby the hand of all His prophets and cevery seer, saying, “dTurn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by the hand of My slaves the prophets.” 14However, they did not listen, but astiffened their neck 1like their fathers, who did not believe in Yahweh their God. 15aThey also rejected His statutes and bHis covenant which He cut with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And cthey followed vanity and dbecame vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which eYahweh had commanded them not to do like them. 16And they forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God and made for themselves molten images, even atwo calves, and bmade an 1Asherah and cworshiped all the host of heaven and dserved Baal. 17Then athey made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and bpracticed divination and omens, and csold themselves to do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger. 18So Yahweh was very angry with Israel and acaused them to depart from His 1presence; bnone was left except the tribe of Judah alone.
19Also aJudah did not keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but bwalked in the statutes 1which Israel had made. 20So Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and agave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them 1from His presence.
21When aHe had torn Israel from the house of David, bthey made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then cJeroboam drove Israel away from following Yahweh and made them sin a great sin. 22And the sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them 23auntil Yahweh caused Israel to depart from His presence, bas He spoke through all His slaves the prophets. cSo Israel went into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.

Exiled Men in the Cities of Samaria

24aAnd the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from 1,bAvva and from cHamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25Now it happened at the beginning of their settlement there, that they adid not fear Yahweh; therefore Yahweh sent lions among them which were killing them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have taken away into exile and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are putting them to death because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”
27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you took away into 1exile and let 2him go and live there; and let him instruct them the custom of the god of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had taken away into exile from Samaria came and settled at Bethel, and instructed them how they should fear Yahweh.
29But each nation was still making gods of its own and put them ain the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, each nation in their cities in which they lived. 30aAnd the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and athe Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to bAdrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the cSepharvaim. 32aThey were also fearing Yahweh and 1,bappointed from among all of themselves priests of the high places, and they were acting for them in the houses of the high places. 33They were fearing Yahweh and serving their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken away into exile.
34To this day they are acting according to the earlier customs: they are not fearing Yahweh; they are not acting according to their statutes or their judgments or the law, or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the sons of Jacob, awhom He named Israel; 35with whom Yahweh cut a covenant and commanded them, saying, “aYou shall not fear other gods, nor bworship them nor cserve them nor sacrifice to them. 36“But Yahweh, awho brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ban outstretched arm, cHim you shall fear, and to Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“And the statutes and the judgments and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, ayou shall be careful to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“And the covenant that I have cut with you, ayou shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But Yahweh your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they were acting according to their earlier custom. 41aSo while these nations were fearing Yahweh, they also were serving their graven images; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers acted, so they are acting this way to this day.

2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

29aHezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2aAnd he did what was right in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done.
3In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he aopened the doors of the house of Yahweh and repaired them. 4And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.

Hezekiah Sets the House of God as Holy

5Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. aSet yourselves apart now as holy, and set apart as holy the house of Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and bring out the impurity from the holy place. 6“For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what is evil in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken Him and aturned their faces away from the dwelling place of Yahweh, and have 1turned their backs. 7“They have also ashut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8“Therefore athe wrath of Yahweh was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of bhissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9“And behold, aour fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10“Now it is in my heart ato cut a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11“My sons, do not be at ease now, for aYahweh has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and offer offerings up in smoke.”
12Then the Levites arose: aMahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of bthe Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah;
13and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and 1Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14and from the sons of Heman, 1Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
15And they gathered their brothers, aset themselves apart as holy, and went in bto cleanse the house of Yahweh, according to the commandment of the king cby the words of Yahweh. 16So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of Yahweh they brought out to the court of the house of Yahweh. Then the Levites received it to bring out to athe Kidron 1valley, to an outer area. 17Then they began 1to set it apart as holy aon the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of Yahweh. Then they set apart the house of Yahweh as holy in eight days, and completed it on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of Yahweh, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils. 19“Moreover, aall the utensils which King Ahaz had rejected during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and set apart as holy; and behold, they are before the altar of Yahweh.”

Hezekiah Brings an Offering

20Then King Hezekiah arose early and gathered the princes of the city and went up to the house of Yahweh. 21And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats afor a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of Yahweh. 22So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and asplashed the blood on the altar. 23Then they had the male goats of the sin offering approach before the king and the assembly, and athey laid their hands on them. 24And the priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood ato atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.
25aHe then caused the Levites to stand in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with harps, and with lyres, baccording to the command of David and of cGad the king’s seer, and of dNathan the prophet; for the command was from Yahweh by the hand of His prophets. 26And the Levites stood with athe musical instruments of David, and bthe priests with the trumpets. 27Then Hezekiah said to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, athe song to Yahweh also began with the trumpets, 1accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was completed.
29Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, athe king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. aSo they sang praises with gladness, and bowed down and worshiped.
31Then Hezekiah answered and said, “aNow that you have 1become ordained to Yahweh, approach and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of Yahweh.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and ball those who were willing of heart brought burnt offerings. 32And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 33And the holy things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; atherefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had set themselves apart as holy. For bthe Levites were more upright of heart to set themselves apart as holy than the priests. 35There were also 1,amany burnt offerings with bthe fat of the peace offerings and with cthe drink offerings for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of Yahweh was established again. 36Then Hezekiah and all the people were glad over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.

Luke 22

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22aNow the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the bPassover, was drawing near. 2And the chief priests and the scribes awere seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.
3aAnd bSatan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who 1belonged to the number of the twelve. 4And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and aofficers how he might betray Him to them. 5And they were glad and agreed to give him money. 6So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them 1apart from the crowd.

The Passover Meal

7aThen came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which bthe Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8And Jesus sent aPeter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 9And they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” 10And He said to them, “Behold, after you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. 11“And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12“And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” 13And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Lord’s Supper

14aAnd when the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and bthe apostles with Him. 15And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I say to you, I shall never again eat it auntil it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17aAnd when He had taken a cup and bgiven thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18“For aI say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19And when He had taken some bread and agiven thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 20And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is apoured out for you is the bnew covenant in My blood. 21“aBut behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. 22“For indeed, the Son of Man is going aas it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” 23And they began to argue among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.

Who Is Greatest?

24And there arose also aa dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25aAnd He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26“But not so with you; arather the one who is the greatest among you must become like bthe youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27“For awho is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But bI am among you as the one who serves.
28“Now you are those who have stood by Me in My atrials, 29and I grant you a akingdom, just as My Father granted one to Me, 30that you may aeat and drink at My table in My bkingdom, and cyou will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31“Simon, Simon, behold, aSatan has 1demanded to bsift all of you like wheat. 32“But I ahave prayed earnestly for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, once you have returned, bstrengthen your brothers.” 33aBut he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 34And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
35And He said to them, “aWhen I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Not a thing.” 36And He said to them, “But now, 1whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and 2whoever has no sword should sell his garment and buy one. 37“For I tell you that this which is written must be 1completed in Me, ‘aAnd He was numbered with transgressors’; for bthat which refers to Me has its 2completion.” 38And they said, “Lord, look, here are two aswords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

39aAnd He came out and went bas was His custom to cthe Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40aNow when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “bPray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He aknelt down and began to pray, 42saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this acup from Me, byet not My will, but Yours be done.” 431Now an aangel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44And abeing in agony He was praying very fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45And when He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise up and apray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47aWhile He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was coming ahead of them, and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49And when those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the asword?” 50And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51But Jesus answered and said, “1Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. 52Then Jesus said to the chief priests and aofficers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs bas against a robber? 53“While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not stretch out your hands against Me, but 1this hour and the authority of darkness are yours.”
54aNow having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest, but bPeter was following at a distance. 55aAnd after they had kindled a fire in the middle of bthe courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” 57But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58A little later, aanother saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59And after about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man was with Him too, afor he also is a Galilean.” 60But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61aAnd the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “bBefore a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62And he went out and cried bitterly.
63aNow the men who were holding 1Jesus in custody were mocking Him while they beat Him, 64and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, “aProphesy, who is the one who hit You?” 65And they were saying many other things against Him, ablaspheming.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

66aAnd as the day came, bthe Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their cSanhedrin, saying, 67“aIf You are the 1Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69“aBut from now on bthe Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of 1God.” 70And they all said, “Are You athe Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “bYou yourselves say that I am.” 71Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Psalm 59

Deliver Me from My Enemies

59
For the choir director. 1Al-tashheth. Of David. A 2Mikhtam. 3When Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to put him to death.
aDeliver me from my enemies, O my God;4,bSet me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.2Deliver me from aworkers of iniquityAnd save me from bmen of bloodshed.3For behold, they ahave lain in wait for my soul;1Fierce men 2,blaunch an attack against me,cNot for my transgression nor for my sin, O Yahweh,41,aFor no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.bArouse Yourself to meet me, and see!5You, aO Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel,Awake to 1,bpunish all the nations;cDo not be gracious to any who are treacherous in 2iniquity. 3 Selah.6They areturn at evening, they howl like a bdog,And go around the city.7Behold, they apour forth speech with their mouth;bSwords are in their lips,For, they say, “cWho hears?”8But You, O Yahweh, alaugh at them;You bmock all the nations.9Because of 1his astrength I will watch for You,For God is my bstronghold.101My God ain His lovingkindness will approach me;God will let me blook triumphantly upon 2my foes.11Do not slay them, aor my people will forget;bMake them wander about by Your power, and bring them down,O Lord, cour shield.121On account of the asin of their mouth and the word of their lips,Let them even be bcaught in their pride,And on account of ccurses and 2lies which they utter.131,aDestroy them in wrath, 2destroy them that they may be no more;That men may bknow that God 3rules in JacobTo the ends of the earth. Selah.14They areturn at evening, they howl like a dog,And go around the city.15They awander about 1for foodAnd 2growl if they are not satisfied.16But as for me, I shall asing of Your strength;And I shall bjoyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the cmorning,For You have been my dstrongholdAnd a erefuge in the day of my distress.17aO my strength, I will sing praises to You;For God is my bstronghold, the 1God who shows me lovingkindness.