The selection The Creation is from the group Bible Basics and About the Bible and created by BibleSearch.org
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This selection contains the following Bible passages:
Genesis 1:1-31,
Genesis 2:1-25,
Nehemiah 9:4-38,
Job 38:1-41,
Job 39:1-30,
Job 40:1-24,
Job 41:1-34,
Psalms 8:1-9,
Psalms 138:1-8,
Psalms 148:1-14,
Isaiah 40:1-31,
Isaiah 44:9-28,
Isaiah 65:17-25,
Jeremiah 10:1-16,
Acts 17:10-34,
Romans 8:1-39,
Colossians 1:1-29,
shown in American Standard Version.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:
and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: the stars also.
And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.
And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creep
And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food:
and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, every green herb for food: and it was so.
And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made.
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.
And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground;
but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
And out of the ground made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads.
The name of the first is Pishon: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
and the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Cush.
And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth in front of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.
And out of the ground Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; but for man there was not found a help meet for him.
And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof:
and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Jehovah your God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham,
and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.
And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea,
and showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them, and didst get thee a name, as it is this day.
And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.
Moreover in a pillar of cloud thou leddest them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thy servant,
and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and forsookest them not.
Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.
Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, which thou didst allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
And they took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.
Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.
But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies,
and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law. Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thine ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Nevertheless in thy manifold mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;
neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify against them.
For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.
And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, our priests, seal unto it.
Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,
When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, it had issued out of the womb;
When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors,
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days , caused the dayspring to know its place;
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?
It is changed as clay under the seal; And stand forth as a garment:
And from the wicked their light is withholden, And the high arm is broken.
Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?
, thou knowest, for thou wast then born, And the number of thy days is great!
Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Against the day of battle and war?
By what way is the light parted, Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, Or the way for the lightning of the thunder;
To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
To satisfy the waste and desolate , And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
The waters hide themselves like stone, And the face of the deep is frozen.
Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, And say unto thee, Here we are?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
When they couch in their dens, abide in the covert to lie in wait?
Who provideth for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry unto God, wander for lack of food?
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains.
Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field; They go forth, and return not again.
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
Whose home I have made the wilderness, And the salt land his dwelling-place?
He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searcheth after every green thing.
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed, And gather of thy threshing-floor?
The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; are they the pinions and plumage of love?
For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, And warmeth them in the dust,
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may trample them.
She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers: Though her labor be in vain, without fear;
Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
What time she lifteth up herself on high, She scorneth the horse and his rider.
Hast thou given the horse might? Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?
Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible.
He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: He goeth out to meet the armed men.
He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed; Neither turneth he back from the sword.
The quiver rattleth against him, The flashing spear and the javelin.
He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
As oft as the trumpet he saith, Aha! And he smelleth the battle afar off, The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth, (And) stretcheth her wings toward the south?
Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up, And maketh her nest on high?
On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home, Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
From thence she spieth out the prey; Her eyes behold it afar off.
Her young ones also suck up blood: And where the slain are, there is she.
Moreover Jehovah answered Job, and said,
Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
Behold, I am of small account; What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honor and majesty.
Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger; And look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.
Look on every one that is proud, bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand.
Hide them in the dust together; Bind their faces in the hidden .
Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee.
Behold now, behemoth, which I made as well as thee; He eateth grass as an ox.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, And his force is in the muscles of his belly.
He moveth his tail like a cedar: The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are tubes of brass; His limbs are like bars of iron.
He is the chief of the ways of God: He that made him giveth him his sword.
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, Where all the beasts of the field do play.
He lieth under the lotus-trees, In the covert of the reed, and the fen.
The lotus-trees cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook compass him about.
Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; He is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.
Shall any take him when he is on the watch, Or pierce through his nose with a snare?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee, That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Will the bands make traffic of him? Will they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
Lay thy hand upon him; Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? under the whole heaven is mine.
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
strong scales are pride, Shut up together a close seal.
One is so near to another, That no air can come between them.
They are joined one to another; They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered.
His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
Out of his mouth go burning torches, And sparks of fire leap forth.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, As of a boiling pot and rushes.
His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
In his neck abideth strength, And terror danceth before him.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: They are firm upon him; They cannot be moved.
His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail; Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
He counteth iron as straw, brass as rotten wood.
The arrow cannot make him flee: Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.
Clubs are counted as stubble: He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
His underparts are sharp potsherds: He spreadeth a threshing-wain upon the mire.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
He maketh a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary.
Upon earth there is not his like, That is made without fear.
He beholdeth everything that is high: He is king over all the sons of pride.
O Jehovah, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth, Who hast set thy glory upon the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength, Because of thine adversaries, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor.
Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, Whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O Jehovah, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
I will give thee thanks with my whole heart: Before the gods will I sing praises unto thee.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
In the day that I called thou answeredst me, Thou didst encourage me with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall give thee thanks, O Jehovah, For they have heard the words of thy mouth.
Yea, they shall sing of the ways of Jehovah; For great is the glory of Jehovah.
For though Jehovah is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And thy right hand will save me.
Jehovah will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, for ever; Forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights.
Praise ye him, all his angels: Praise ye him, all his host.
Praise ye him, sun and moon: Praise him, all ye stars of light.
Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, And ye waters that are above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For he commanded, and they were created.
He hath also established them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass away.
Praise Jehovah from the earth, Ye sea-monsters, and all deeps.
Fire and hail, snow and vapor; Stormy wind, fulfilling his word;
Mountains and all hills; Fruitful trees and all cedars;
Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;
Both young men and virgins; Old men and children:
Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens.
And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, The praise of all his saints; Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye Jehovah.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.
The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:
and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever.
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!
Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, will gently lead those that have their young.
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: Behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.
All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
The image, a workman hath cast , and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth silver chains.
He that is too impoverished for an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilful workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Have ye not known? have yet not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;
that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Yea, they have not been planted; yea, they have not been sown; yea, their stock hath not taken root in the earth: moreover he bloweth upon them, and they wither, and the whirlwind taketh them away as stubble.
To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal ? saith the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking.
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and the justice to me is passed away from my God?
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.
Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing?
Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame; and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be put to shame together.
The smith an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.
The carpenter stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with a pencil; he shapeth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compasses, and shapeth it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the holm-tree and the oak, and strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest: he planteth a fir-tree, and the rain doth nourish it.
Then shall it be for a man to burn; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread: yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
And none calleth to mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth (who is with me?);
that frustrateth the signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem, She shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof;
that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;
That saith of Cyrus, my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and there shall be heard in her no more the voice of weeping and the voice of crying.
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them.
And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah.
Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
There is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.
But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.
There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.
But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens:
when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.
Every man is become brutish without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.
And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.
But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him.
And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee?
For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)
And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious.
For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.
The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;
that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:
for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:
inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.
Thus Paul went out from among them.
But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh:
for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God:
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with , that we may be also glorified with .
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward.
For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope
that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, , the redemption of our body.
For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?
But if we hope for that which we see not, do we with patience wait for it.
And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for with groanings which cannot be uttered;
and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to God.
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, to them that are called according to purpose.
For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:
and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God for us, who against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth;
who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,
because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard , do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;
giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;
and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it was the good pleasure that in him should all the fulness dwell;
and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, , whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.
And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,
yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
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