Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel
1 In the twenty-third year of lJoash the son of mAhaziah, king of Judah, nJehoahaz the son of oJehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He pdid what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the qsins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. 3 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of rHazael king of Syria and into the hand of sBen-hadad the son of Hazael. 4 Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he tsaw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (Therefore the Lord gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly. 6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked1 in them; and uthe Asherah also remained in Samaria.) 7 For there was not left to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the vBook of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his place.
Jehoash Reigns in Israel
10 In the thirty-seventh year of wJoash king of Judah, xJehoash2 the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 He also ydid what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them. 12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, and the might with which he fought against zAmaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 13 So Joash slept with his fathers, and aJeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
The Death of Elisha
14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, b“My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in cAphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”
20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now dbands of Moabites used to invade the land in the espring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he frevived and stood on his feet.
22 Now Hazael king of Syria goppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of hhis covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
24 When Hazael king of Syria died, iBen-hadad his son became king in his place. 25 Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
The Lame Beggar Healed
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.1 2 And a man lame tfrom birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his ugaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the vname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And wleaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and xrecognized him as ythe one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the zportico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The aGod of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, bglorified his cservant2 Jesus, whom dyou delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when ehe had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and fRighteous One, and gasked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the hAuthor of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are iwitnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus3 has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in jignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that khis lChrist would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 mRepent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be nblotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may osend the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom pheaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets qlong ago. 22 Moses said, r‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that severy soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from tSamuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the usons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, v‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you wfirst, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Peter and John Before the Council
1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the xSadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the yresurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in zcustody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the anumber of the men came to about five thousand.
