One Year Bible.

Twenty-Four Divisions of Priests

¹These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

³With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service. ⁴Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar.

⁵Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

⁶The scribe, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites — one family being taken from Eleazar, and then one from Ithamar.

⁷The first lot fell to Jehoiarib,

the second to Jedaiah,

⁸the third to Harim,

the fourth to Seorim,

⁹the fifth to Malchijah,

the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz,

the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹the ninth to Jeshua,

the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹²the eleventh to Eliashib,

the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³the thirteenth to Huppah,

the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah,

the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir,

the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah,

the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷the twenty-first to Jachin,

the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah,

and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹This was their appointed order for service when they entered the house of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

²⁰Now these were the rest of the descendants of Levi:

From the sons of Amram: Shubael;

from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

²¹As for Rehabiah, from his sons: The first was Isshiah.

²²From the Izharites: Shelomoth;

from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

²³From the sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴From the sons of Uzziel: Micah;

from the sons of Micah: Shamir.

²⁵The brother of Micah: Isshiah;

from the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.

²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.

The son of Jaaziah: Beno.

²⁷The descendants of Merari from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹From Kish: Jerahmeel the son of Kish.

³⁰And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the sons of the Levites, according to their families. ³¹As their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, they also cast lots in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites— the family heads and their younger brothers alike.

Timothy’s Visit

¹So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens. ²We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this. ⁴Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass. ⁵For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that our labor might have been in vain.

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

⁶But just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see you. ⁷For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we have been reassured about you, because of your faith. ⁸For now we can go on living, as long as you are standing firm in the Lord.

⁹How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence? ¹⁰Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. ¹²And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, ¹³so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

The Twelve Apostles

¹And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

²These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

The Ministry of the Twelve

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ ⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. ¹⁰Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

¹¹Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on. ¹²As you enter the home, greet its occupants. ¹³If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Sheep among Wolves

¹⁶Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. ¹⁸On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. ²⁰For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. ²²You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

²³When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

Fear God Alone

²⁶So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. ²⁷What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. ³⁰And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Confessing Christ

³²Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. ³³But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

Not Peace but a Sword

³⁴Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to turn

‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

³⁶A man’s enemies will be the members

of his own household.’

³⁷Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; ³⁸and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

The Reward of Service

⁴⁰He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. ⁴¹Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”