But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.

伯利恒以法他啊，你在犹大诸城中为小，将来必有一位从你那里出来，在以色列中为我作掌权的；他的根源从亘古，从太初就有。

伯利恒的以法他啊，你在犹大诸城中虽小，将来必有一位从你那里出来，在以色列中为我作掌权者；他的根源自亘古，从太初就有。

伯利恒的以法他啊，你在犹大诸城中虽小，将来必有一位从你那里出来，在以色列中为我作掌权者；他的根源自亘古，从太初就有。

以法他的伯利恒啊，你在犹大各城中毫不起眼，但将有一位从你那里出来，为我统治以色列；祂的根源自亘古，来自太初。

伯利恒以法他啊！你在犹大诸城中虽然细小（“伯利恒……细小”有古卷作“以法他家啊，你在犹大诸族中虽然细小”），必有一位从你那里出来，为我作以色列的统治者；他的根源从太初，从亘古就有了。（本节在《马索拉文本》为5:1）

伯利恆的以法他啊，你在猶大諸城中為小，將來必有一位從你那裏出來，在以色列中為我作掌權的；他的根源從亙古，從太初就有。

伯利恆的以法他啊，你在猶大諸城中雖小，將來必有一位從你那裏出來，在以色列中為我作掌權者；他的根源自亙古，從太初就有。

伯利恆的以法他啊，你在猶大諸城中雖小，將來必有一位從你那裏出來，在以色列中為我作掌權者；他的根源自亙古，從太初就有。

以法他的伯利恆啊，你在猶大各城中毫不起眼，但將有一位從你那裡出來，為我統治以色列；祂的根源自亙古，來自太初。

伯利恆以法他啊！你在猶大諸城中雖然細小（“伯利恆……細小”有古卷作“以法他家啊，你在猶大諸族中雖然細小”），必有一位從你那裡出來，為我作以色列的統治者；他的根源從太初，從亙古就有了。（本節在《馬索拉文本》為5:1）

但是你、伯利恆以法他啊，你在猶大諸鄉村中雖然細小，將來必有一位從你那裏為我而出，在以色列中做統治者；他的根源出於亙古，出於往古之日。

伯利恆以法他乎、爾在猶大郡中為小、然將有一人自爾而出、為君於以色列、其原由於亙古、本於太初、

惟爾伯利恆、以法大、在猶大郡中、雖為卑微、然將有君於爾是出、代我牧以色列民、亙古以來即有之、顯著者屢矣。

惟爾伯利恆以法他、雖在猶大郡中郡中原文作諸千中千者即千家也為小、然將有君自爾出、為我治理以色列民、其源源原文作出自亙古自太初已有、

“ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

The Lord says,“ Bethlehem Ephrathah, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But out of you will come for me a ruler over Israel. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago.”

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

“ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

But thou, Beth- lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,[ though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah,[ yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me[ that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth[ have been] from of old, from everlasting.

( 5: 1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah– from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.

‘ And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.

Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons.

“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain.It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches.And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!”

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.

So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath( that is, Bethlehem).

“ Long ago, as I was returning from Paddan aram, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, some distance from Ephrath( that is, Bethlehem). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath.”

Jesus came and told his disciples,“ I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied,“ We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation, but the birthright belonged to Joseph.

Penuel( the father of Gedor), and Ezer( the father of Hushah). These were the descendants of Hur( the firstborn of Ephrathah), the ancestor of Bethlehem.

These were all descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the oldest son of Caleb’s wife Ephrathah, were Shobal( the founder of Kiriath jearim),Salma( the founder of Bethlehem), and Hareph( the founder of Beth gader).

And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

“ Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

It said,“ Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands.And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire.His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said,“ Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.I am the living one. I died, but look— I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten.

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.

A sign was fastened above him with these words:“ This is the King of the Jews.”

“ The Lord formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.

But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said,‘ No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”

On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

They will have their own ruler again, and he will come from their own people. I will invite him to approach me,” says the Lord,“ for who would dare to come unless invited?

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them.But you are always the same; you will live forever.

I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms.They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.“ My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever.

He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.

Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment.

They began to state their case:“ This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”

“ In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

Discover his hiding places, and come back when you are sure. Then I’ll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I’ll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!”

What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.

We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.

And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing.”

The descendants of Salma were the people of Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth beth joab, the other half of the Manahathites, the Zorites,

It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people,“ Look, here is your king!”“ Away with him,” they yelled.“ Away with him! Crucify him!”“ What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.“ We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away.Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull( in Hebrew, Golgotha).There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read,“ Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate,“ Change it from‘ The King of the Jews’ to‘ He said, I am King of the Jews.’”Pilate replied,“ No, what I have written, I have written.”

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.He existed in the beginning with God.God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.

So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me.A long time afterward the Lord said to me,“ Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.”

And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!

And he also said,“ It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega— the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.