Joshua 20, 21, Acts 1, Jeremiah 10, Matthew 24

Joshua 20, 21,

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua:
 
2 "Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
 
3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.
 
4 "When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them.
 
5 If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought.
 
6 He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled."
 
7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
 
8 On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho they designated Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.
 
9 Any of the Israelites or any alien living among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

1 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel
 
2 at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, "The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock."
 
3 So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
 
4 The first lot came out for the Kohathites, clan by clan. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.
 
5 The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.
 
6 The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
 
7 The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
 
8 So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
 
9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name
 
10 (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):
 
11 They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
 
12 But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
 
13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah,
 
14 Jattir, Eshtemoa,
 
15 Holon, Debir,
 
16 Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands-nine towns from these two tribes.
 
17 And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
 
18 Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.
 
19 All the towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
 
20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:
 
21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,
 
22 Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.
 
23 Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
 
24 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.
 
25 From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands-two towns.
 
26 All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
 
27 The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Be Eshtarah, together with their pasturelands-two towns;
 
28 from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath,
 
29 Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasturelands-four towns;
 
30 from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon,
 
31 Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands-four towns;
 
32 from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands-three towns.
 
33 All the towns of the Gershonite clans were thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
 
34 The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given: from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah,
 
35 Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands-four towns;
 
36 from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz,
 
37 Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands-four towns;
 
38 from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,
 
39 Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands-four towns in all.
 
40 All the towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, were twelve.
 
41 The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.
 
42 Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.
 
43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there.
 
44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them.
 
45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Acts 1,

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
 
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
 
3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
 
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
 
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
 
6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
 
7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
 
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
 
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
 
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
 
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
 
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.
 
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
 
14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
 
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
 
16 and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus-
 
17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."
 
18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.
 
19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
 
20 "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, " 'May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, " 'May another take his place of leadership.'
 
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
 
22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
 
23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
 
24 Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
 
25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."
 
26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Jeremiah 10,

1 Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel.
 
2 This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them.
 
3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
 
4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
 
5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good."
 
6 No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.
 
7 Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.
 
8 They are all senseless and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idols.
 
9 Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple-all made by skilled workers.
 
10 But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.
 
11 "Tell them this: 'These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.' "
 
12 But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
 
13 When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
 
14 Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. His images are a fraud; they have no breath in them.
 
15 They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish.
 
16 He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance-the LORD Almighty is his name.
 
17 Gather up your belongings to leave the land, you who live under siege.
 
18 For this is what the LORD says: "At this time I will hurl out those who live in this land; I will bring distress on them so that they may be captured."
 
19 Woe to me because of my injury! My wound is incurable! Yet I said to myself, "This is my sickness, and I must endure it."
 
20 My tent is destroyed; all its ropes are snapped. My sons are gone from me and are no more; no one is left now to pitch my tent or to set up my shelter.
 
21 The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the LORD; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered.
 
22 Listen! The report is coming-a great commotion from the land of the north! It will make the towns of Judah desolate, a haunt of jackals.
 
23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
 
24 Correct me, LORD, but only with justice-not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.
 
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland.

Matthew 24

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
 
2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
 
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
 
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
 
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
 
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
 
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
 
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
 
9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
 
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
 
11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
 
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
 
13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
 
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
 
15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand-
 
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
 
17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.
 
18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
 
19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
 
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
 
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.
 
22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
 
23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.
 
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible.
 
25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
 
26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
 
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
 
28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
 
29 "Immediately after the distress of those days " 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
 
30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
 
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
 
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
 
33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
 
34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
 
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
 
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
 
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
 
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
 
39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
 
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
 
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
 
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
 
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
 
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
 
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
 
46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
 
47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
 
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,'
 
49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
 
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
 
51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.