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.”

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.”

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.”

“ 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.

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 so that Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles, and I will sing psalms to Your name.Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!And again: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; all the peoples should praise Him!And again, Isaiah says: The root of Jesse will appear, the One who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in Him.

The Lord of Hosts says this:“ Peoples will yet come, the residents of many cities;the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let’s go at once to plead for the Lord’s favor and to seek the Lord of Hosts. I am also going.Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead for the Lord’s favor.”The Lord of Hosts says this:“ In those days, 10 men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility—young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace— and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature.The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to serve in the king’s court.Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.The chief official gave them other names: he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself.God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,yet he said to Daniel,“ My lord the king assigned your food and drink. I’m afraid of what would happen if he saw your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age. You would endanger my life with the king.”So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief official had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,“ Please test your servants for 10 days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.”He agreed with them about this and tested them for 10 days.At the end of 10 days they looked better and healthier than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind.At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to serve in the king’s court.In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom.Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.

I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off.

“ Go tell Ebed-melech the Cushite: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill My words for harm and not for good against this city. They will take place before your eyes on that day.But I will rescue you on that day”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ and you will not be handed over to the men you fear.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of God’s good news. My purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will choose Israel again. He will settle them on their own land. The foreigner will join them and be united with the house of Jacob.

But Ebed-melech, a Cushite court official employed in the king’s palace, heard Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate,Ebed-melech went from the king’s palace and spoke to the king:“ My lord the king, these men have been evil in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern where he will die from hunger, because there is no more bread in the city.”So the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Cushite,“ Take from here 30 men under your authority and pull Jeremiah the prophet up from the cistern before he dies.”So Ebed-melech took the men under his authority and went to the king’s palace to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them by ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah,“ Place these old rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, but he continued to stay in the guard’s courtyard.

He answered,“ It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to their dogs.”“ Yes, Lord,” she said,“ yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table!”

Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.

but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.There is no favoritism with God.

They will ask about Zion, turning their faces to this road. They will come and join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.

There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment.He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God.

Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him,“ Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one,‘ Go!’ and he goes; and to another,‘ Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave,‘ Do this!’ and he does it.”

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

For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”Then children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them.Then Jesus said,“ Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.”After putting His hands on them, He went on from there.Just then someone came up and asked Him,“ Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?”“ Why do you ask Me about what is good?” He said to him.“ There is only One who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”“ Which ones?” he asked Him. Jesus answered: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness;honor your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as yourself.“ I have kept all these,” the young man told Him.“ What do I still lack?”“ If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him,“ go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”When the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.Then Jesus said to His disciples,“ I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to 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 utterly astonished and asked,“ Then who can be saved?”But Jesus looked at them and said,“ With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”Then Peter responded to Him,“ Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?”Jesus said to them,“ I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Then Peter began to speak:“ Now I really understand that God doesn’t show favoritism,

You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

‘ Some of your descendants who come from you will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But you and your sons will carry out your priestly responsibilities for everything concerning the altar and for what is inside the veil, and you will do that work. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but an unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary will be put to death.”

The Lord will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then all the distant coastlands of the nations will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.

“ No man whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis has been cut off may enter the Lord’s assembly.No one of illegitimate birth may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, may enter the Lord’s assembly.No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly.

Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him,“ I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith!I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you.

An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip:“ Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”( This is the desert road.)So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalemand was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.The Spirit told Philip,“ Go and join that chariot.”When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said,“ Do you understand what you’re reading?”“ How can I,” he said,“ unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth.In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.The eunuch replied to Philip,“ I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about— himself or another person?”So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture.As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said,“ Look, there’s water! What would keep me from being baptized?”