Jethro’s Advice

1 ^mJethro, ⁿthe priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, 3 along with her ^otwo sons. The name of the one was Gershom (^pfor he said, ^q“I have been a sojourner¹ in a foreign land”), 4 and the name of the other, Eliezer² (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the ^rmountain of God. 6 And when he sent word to Moses, “I,³ your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” 7 Moses ^swent out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and ^tkissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law ^uall that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Jethro said, ^v“Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that ^wthe Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they ^xdealt arrogantly with the people.”⁴ 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law ^ybefore God.

13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because ^zthe people come to me to inquire of God; 16 ^awhen they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I ^bmake them know the statutes of God and his laws.” 17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. ^cYou are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall ^drepresent the people before God and ^ebring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know ^fthe way in which they must walk and ^gwhat they must do. 21 Moreover, look for ^hable men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And ⁱlet them judge the people at all times. ^jEvery great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will ^kbear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be ^lable to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 ^mMoses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 And ⁿthey judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. 27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and ^ohe went away to his own country.

The Widow’s Offering

1 ^yJesus¹ looked up and saw the rich ^zputting their gifts into ^athe offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two ^bsmall copper coins.² 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, ^cthis poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her ^dpoverty put in all ^eshe had to live on.”

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

5 ^fAnd while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, ^gthe days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, ^hwhen will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, ⁱ“See that you are not led astray. For ^jmany will come in my name, saying, ^k‘I am he!’ and, ^l‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be ^mterrified, for these things ⁿmust first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

10 Then he said to them, ^o“Nation will rise against nation, and ^pkingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great ^qearthquakes, and in various places ^rfamines and pestilences. And there will be ^sterrors and great ^tsigns from heaven. 12 But before all this ^uthey will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to ^vthe synagogues and ^wprisons, and you ^xwill be brought before ^ykings and ^zgovernors for my name’s sake. 13 ^aThis will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds ^bnot to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for ^cI will give you a mouth and ^dwisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or ^econtradict. 16 You will be delivered up ^feven by parents and brothers³ and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 ^gYou will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But ^hnot a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your ⁱendurance you will gain your lives.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

20 “But ^jwhen you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that ^kits desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are ^ldays of ^mvengeance, to fulfill ⁿall that is written. 23 ^oAlas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and ^pwrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and ^qbe led captive among all nations, and ^rJerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, ^suntil the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25 “And ^tthere will be signs in sun and moon ^uand stars, and on the earth ^vdistress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For ^wthe powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see ^xthe Son of Man coming in a cloud ^ywith power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and ^zraise your heads, because ^ayour redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see ^bfor yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 ^cTruly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 ^dHeaven and earth will pass away, but ^emy words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

34 “But watch yourselves ^flest ^gyour hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and ^hcares of this life, and ⁱthat day come upon you suddenly ^jlike a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But ^kstay awake at all times, ^lpraying that you may ^mhave strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and ⁿto stand before the Son of Man.”

37 And ^oevery day he was teaching in the temple, but ^pat night he went out and lodged on ^qthe mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning ^oall the people came to him in the temple to hear him.

Elihu Extols God’s Greatness

1 And Elihu continued, and said:

1 ^tWorking together with him, then, ^uwe appeal to you ^vnot to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

Behold, ^xnow is the ^yfavorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We ^zput no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but ^aas servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ^bby great endurance, ^cin afflictions, ^dhardships, calamities, 5 ^ebeatings, imprisonments, ^friots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 ^gby purity, ^hknowledge, patience, kindness, ⁱthe Holy Spirit, ^jgenuine love; 7 by ^ktruthful speech, and ^lthe power of God; with ^mthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, ⁿthrough slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and ^oyet well known; ^pas dying, and behold, we live; ^qas punished, and yet not killed; 10 ^ras sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; ^sas poor, yet making many rich; ^tas having nothing, ^uyet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you,¹ Corinthians; ^vour heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but ^wyou are restricted in your own affections. 13 ^xIn return (I speak ^yas to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

14 ^zDo not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For ^awhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or ^bwhat fellowship has light with darkness? 15 ^cWhat accord has Christ with Belial?² Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^dwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,