Judges 1, Acts 5, Jeremiah 14, Matthew 28

Judges 1,

1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?"
 
2 The LORD answered, "Judah is to go; I have given the land into their hands."
 
3 Then the men of Judah said to the Simeonites their brothers, "Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours." So the Simeonites went with them.
 
4 When Judah attacked, the LORD gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.
 
5 It was there that they found Adoni-Bezek and fought against him, putting to rout the Canaanites and Perizzites.
 
6 Adoni-Bezek fled, but they chased him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
 
7 Then Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
 
8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.
 
9 After that, the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev and the western foothills.
 
10 They advanced against the Canaanites living in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath Arba) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.
 
11 From there they advanced against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).
 
12 And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher."
 
13 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
 
14 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?"
 
15 She replied, "Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water." Then Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
 
16 The descendants of Moses' father-in-law, the Kenite, went up from the City of Palms with the men of Judah to live among the people of the Desert of Judah in the Negev near Arad.
 
17 Then the men of Judah went with the Simeonites their brothers and attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they totally destroyed the city. Therefore it was called Hormah.
 
18 The men of Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron-each city with its territory.
 
19 The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots.
 
20 As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak.
 
21 The Benjamites, however, failed to dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.
 
22 Now the house of Joseph attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them.
 
23 When they sent men to spy out Bethel (formerly called Luz),
 
24 the spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, "Show us how to get into the city and we will see that you are treated well."
 
25 So he showed them, and they put the city to the sword but spared the man and his whole family.
 
26 He then went to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.
 
27 But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.
 
28 When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.
 
29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them.
 
30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, who remained among them; but they did subject them to forced labor.
 
31 Nor did Asher drive out those living in Acco or Sidon or Ahlab or Aczib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob,
 
32 and because of this the people of Asher lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land.
 
33 Neither did Naphtali drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, and those living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became forced laborers for them.
 
34 The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain.
 
35 And the Amorites were determined also to hold out in Mount Heres, Aijalon and Shaalbim, but when the power of the house of Joseph increased, they too were pressed into forced labor.
 
36 The boundary of the Amorites was from Scorpion Pass to Sela and beyond.

Acts 5,

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
 
2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
 
3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
 
4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
 
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
 
6 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
 
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
 
8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."
 
9 Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."
 
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
 
11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
 
12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.
 
13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
 
14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
 
15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
 
16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
 
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.
 
18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
 
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.
 
20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
 
21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin-the full assembly of the elders of Israel-and sent to the jail for the apostles.
 
22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,
 
23 "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."
 
24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
 
25 Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."
 
26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
 
27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.
 
28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
 
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
 
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
 
31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
 
32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
 
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
 
34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
 
35 Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
 
36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
 
37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
 
38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
 
39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
 
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
 
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
 
42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Jeremiah 14,

1 This is the word of the LORD to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
 
2 "Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
 
3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads.
 
4 The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.
 
5 Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
 
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights and pant like jackals; their eyesight fails for lack of pasture."
 
7 Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you.
 
8 O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?
 
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, O LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!
 
10 This is what the LORD says about this people: "They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins."
 
11 Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
 
12 Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague."
 
13 But I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, 'You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.' "
 
14 Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
 
15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine.
 
16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.
 
17 "Speak this word to them: " 'Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for my virgin daughter-my people-has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
 
18 If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.' "
 
19 Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
 
20 O LORD, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned against you.
 
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.
 
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.

Matthew 28

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
 
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
 
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
 
4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
 
5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
 
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
 
7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
 
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
 
9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
 
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
 
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
 
12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
 
13 telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.'
 
14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."
 
15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
 
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
 
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
 
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
 
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
 
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."