American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel.
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it {Or, of a long time}in great numbers in such sort as it is written.
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, who trespassed against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up {Or, to be an astonishment}to desolation, as ye see.
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were; but {Hebrew: give the hand.}yield yourselves unto Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
For if ye turn again unto Jehovah, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
Also upon Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Jehovah.
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month {Hebrew: between the two evenings.}at even, is Jehovah's passover.
Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of Jehovah; and they sanctified the house of Jehovah in eight days: and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto Jehovah.
In the second month on the fourteenth day {Hebrew: between the two evenings.}at even they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs:
And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month {Hebrew: between the two evenings.}at even, is Jehovah's passover.
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto Jehovah.
In the second month on the fourteenth day {Hebrew: between the two evenings.}at even they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs:
ye also, as living stones, are built up a {Or, a spiritual house for a holy priesthood}spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
But unto the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come;
and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the heave-offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock:
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying,
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
So he went and did according unto the word of Jehovah; for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
And might not be as their fathers,A stubborn and rebellious generation,A generation {Or, that prepared not their hearts}that set not their heart aright,And whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers:They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
and sent forth his {Greek: bondservants.}servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come.
Again he sent forth other {Greek: bondservants.}servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;
and the rest laid hold on his {Greek: bondservants.}servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:
and he sent forth his {Greek: bondservant.}servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
he said, Give place: for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn:They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was {Greek: advanced in many days.}of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.