Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek ^krest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz ^lour relative, ^mwith whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 ⁿWash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and ^ohis heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. ^pSpread your wings¹ over your servant, for you are ^qa redeemer.” 10 And he said, ^r“May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than ^sthe first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are ^ta worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am ^ua redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will ^vredeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, ^was the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Boaz Redeems Ruth

1 Now Boaz had gone up to ^xthe gate and sat down there. And behold, ^ythe redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men ^zof the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ^a‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you² will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth³ the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order ^bto perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 ^cThen the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

7 ^dNow this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to ^eChilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, ^fto perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were ^gat the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, ^hwho together ⁱbuilt up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in ^jEphrathah and ^kbe renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, ^lwhom Tamar bore to Judah, because ^mof the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

Ruth and Boaz Marry

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, ⁿand the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 ^oThen the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without ^pa redeemer, and may his name ^qbe renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, ^rwho is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 ^sAnd the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The Genealogy of David

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: ^tPerez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 ^uAmminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Paul on Malta

1 After we were brought safely through, ^lwe then learned that ^mthe island was called Malta. 2 ⁿThe native people¹ showed us unusual ^okindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When ^pthe native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^q“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^rJustice² has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, ^sshook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, ^tthey changed their minds and ^usaid that he was a god.

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and ^vprayed, and ^wputting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly,³ and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

11 After three months we set sail in ^xa ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods⁴ as a figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found ^ybrothers⁵ and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And ^ythe brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, ^zPaul thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, ^aPaul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul in Rome

17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, ^bthough I had done nothing against our people or ^cthe customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, they ^dwished to set me at liberty, ^ebecause there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But because the Jews objected, I was compelled ^fto appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against ^gmy nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is ^hbecause of ⁱthe hope of Israel that I am wearing ^jthis ^kchain.” 21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of ^lthe brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this ^msect we know that everywhere ⁿit is spoken against.”

23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening ^ohe expounded to them, testifying to ^pthe kingdom of God and ^qtrying to convince them about Jesus ^rboth from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 And ^ssome were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: ^t“The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

28 Therefore let it be known to you that ^ythis ^zsalvation of God ^ahas been sent to the Gentiles; ^bthey will listen.”⁶

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense,⁷ and ^cwelcomed all who came to him, 31 ^dproclaiming ^ethe kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ^fwith all boldness and ^gwithout hindrance.

Jeremiah Cast into the Cistern

1 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, ^eJucal the son of Shelemiah, and ^fPashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people: 2 “Thus says the Lord: ^gHe who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, ^gbut he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live. 3 Thus says the Lord: ^hThis city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.” 4 Then the officials said to the king, ⁱ“Let this man be put to death, ^jfor he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking ^kthe welfare of this people, but their harm.” 5 King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, ^lfor the king can do nothing against you.” 6 So they took Jeremiah ^mand cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in ⁿthe court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down ^oby ropes. ^pAnd there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and ^qJeremiah sank in the mud.

Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern

7 When ^rEbed-melech ^sthe Ethiopian, ^ta eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting ^uin the Benjamin Gate— 8 ^rEbed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king, 9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of ^vhunger, ^wfor there is no bread left in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded ^rEbed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” 11 So ^rEbed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern ^xby ropes. 12 Then ^rEbed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and ^xthe ropes.” Jeremiah did so. 13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ^xropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the ⁿcourt of the guard.

Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again

14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord. The king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me.” 15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.” 16 Then King Zedekiah swore ^ysecretly to Jeremiah, ^z“As the Lord lives, ^awho made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of ^bthese men who seek your life.”

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ^cIf you will surrender to ^dthe officials of the king of Babylon, ^ethen your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 18 But if you do not surrender to ^dthe officials of the king of Babylon, ^fthen this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, ^fand they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.” 19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans ^gwho have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” 20 Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, ^hand it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. 21 But if you refuse to ^csurrender, this is the vision which the Lord has shown to me: 22 Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying,

23 All your wives and ^jyour sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.”

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die. 25 If ^kthe officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,’ 26 then you shall say to them, ^l‘I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.’” 27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard. 28 And Jeremiah remained ^min the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

The Lord Is in His Holy Temple

To the choirmaster. Of David.

The Faithful Have Vanished

To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.² A Psalm of David.