Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,“ The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say,“ Behold, I am a dry tree.”

与耶和华联合的外邦人不要说：“耶和华必定将我从他民中分别出来。”太监也不要说：“我是枯树。”

与耶和华联合的外邦人不要说：“耶和华将我和他的子民分别出来。”太监也不要说：“看哪，我是枯树。”

与耶和华联合的外邦人不要说：“耶和华将我和他的子民分别出来。”太监也不要说：“看哪，我是枯树。”

皈依耶和华的外族人啊，不要以为耶和华会把你和祂的子民分开，太监也不要觉得自己只是一棵枯树。

与耶和华联合的外族人不要说：“耶和华必把我从他的子民中分别出来。”被阉割了的人也不要说：“看哪！我是一棵枯树。”

不要让归附于耶和华的外邦人说：“耶和华必定会把我从他的子民中分离出去。”也不要让被阉割的人说：“看哪，我是一棵枯树！”

與耶和華聯合的外邦人不要說：耶和華必定將我從他民中分別出來。太監也不要說：我是枯樹。

與耶和華聯合的外邦人不要說：「耶和華將我和他的子民分別出來。」太監也不要說：「看哪，我是枯樹。」

與耶和華聯合的外邦人不要說：「耶和華將我和他的子民分別出來。」太監也不要說：「看哪，我是枯樹。」

皈依耶和華的外族人啊，不要以為耶和華會把你和祂的子民分開，太監也不要覺得自己只是一棵枯樹。

與耶和華聯合的外族人不要說：“耶和華必把我從他的子民中分別出來。”被閹割了的人也不要說：“看哪！我是一棵枯樹。”

皈依永恆主的外族人不要說：『永恆主必定將我從他人民中分別出來』；被閹割的人也不要說：『唉，我是棵枯乾了的樹了。』

不要讓歸附於耶和華的外邦人說：「耶和華必定會把我從他的子民中分離出去。」也不要讓被閹割的人說：「看哪，我是一棵枯樹！」

附耶和華之異邦人、勿曰耶和華必別我於其民、閹者勿曰我乃枯木、

異邦之人歸誠於我者、勿曰、耶和華不以我為赤子、閹者亦勿曰、我若枯木、

異邦之人歸主者勿曰、主必別我於其民之中、閹者亦勿曰、我若枯木、

Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,“ The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain,“ I am only a dry tree.”

Suppose an outsider wants to follow the Lord. Then that person shouldn’t say,“ The Lord won’t accept me as one of his people.” And a eunuch shouldn’t say,“ I’m like a dry tree that doesn’t bear any fruit.”

“ Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say,‘ The Lord will never let me be part of his people.’ And don’t let the eunuchs say,‘ I’m a dried up tree with no children and no future.’

No foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD should say,“ The LORD will exclude me from his people,” and the eunuch should not say,“ Look, I am a dried-up tree.”

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,“ The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say,“ Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying,“ The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say,“ Here I am, a dry tree.”

Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord should say,“ The Lord will exclude me from His people”; and the eunuch should not say,“ Look, I am a dried-up tree.”

Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I[ am] a dry tree.

No foreigner who becomes a follower of the LORD should say,‘ The LORD will certainly exclude me from his people.’ The eunuch should not say,‘ Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”

Let no foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying,“ Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say,“ Behold, I am a dry tree.”

and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,“ Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”And again it is said,“ Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”And again,“ Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.”And again Isaiah says,“ The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”

“ Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,‘ Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying,‘ Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,“ I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,“ Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,“‘ I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

“ Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,‘ Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern— the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate—Ebed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king,“ 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 hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.”Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,“ Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”So Ebed-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 by ropes.Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah,“ Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so.Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

And he answered,“ It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”She said,“ Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.For God shows no partiality.

They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying,‘ Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him,“ Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one,‘ Go,’ and he goes; and to another,‘ Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant,‘ Do this,’ and he does it.”

And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.

For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people,but Jesus said,“ Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”And he laid his hands on them and went away.And behold, a man came up to him, saying,“ Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”And he said to him,“ Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”He said to him,“ Which ones?” And Jesus said,“ You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”The young man said to him,“ All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”Jesus said to him,“ If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.And Jesus said to his disciples,“ Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying,“ Who then can be saved?”But Jesus looked at them and said,“ With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”Then Peter said in reply,“ See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”Jesus said to them,“ Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

So Peter opened his mouth and said:“ Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

And you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.

“ No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.“ No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord.“ No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,

When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him,“ Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,“ Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worshipand was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.And the Spirit said to Philip,“ Go over and join this chariot.”So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked,“ Do you understand what you are reading?”And he said,“ How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:“ Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”And the eunuch said to Philip,“ About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said,“ See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”