Thematic Bible: Council
Thematic Bible
Council » Of war
Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your opinion now, what are we to do?
Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me take out twelve thousand men and this very night I will go after David: And I will come up with him when he is tired and feeble, and make him full of fear: and all the people with him will go in flight; and I will make an attack on the king only: And I will make all the people come back to you as a bride comes back to her husband: it is the life of only one man you are going after; so all the people will be at peace. read more.
And the saying was pleasing to Absalom and to the responsible men of Israel. Then Absalom said, Now send for Hushai the Archite, and let us give ear to what he has to say. And when Hushai came, Absalom said to him, This is what Ahithophel has said: are we to do as he says? if not, what is your suggestion? And Hushai said to Absalom, Ahithophel's idea is not a good one at this time. Hushai said further, You have knowledge of your father and his men, that they are men of war, and that their feelings are bitter, like those of a bear in the field whose young ones have been taken from her: and your father is a man of war, and will not take his night's rest with the people; But he will certainly have taken cover now in some hole or secret place; and if some of our people, at the first attack, are overcome, then any hearing of it will say, There is destruction among the people who are on Absalom's side. Then even the strongest, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will become like water; for all Israel is conscious that your father is a man of war, and those who are with him are strong and without fear. But my suggestion is that all Israel, from Dan as far as Beer-sheba, comes together to you, a great army like the sands of the sea in number; and that you yourself go out among them. Then we will come on him in some place, wherever he may be, falling on him as the dew comes on the earth: and of him and all the men who are with him not one will get away with his life. And if he has gone into some town, then let all Israel take strong cords to that town, and we will have it pulled into the valley, till not one small stone is to be seen there. Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, Hushai's suggestion is better than that of Ahithophel. For it was the purpose of the Lord to make the wise designs of Ahithophel without effect, so that the Lord might send evil on Absalom. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, This is the suggestion made by Ahithophel to Absalom and the responsible men of Israel, and this is what I said to them.
And the saying was pleasing to Absalom and to the responsible men of Israel. Then Absalom said, Now send for Hushai the Archite, and let us give ear to what he has to say. And when Hushai came, Absalom said to him, This is what Ahithophel has said: are we to do as he says? if not, what is your suggestion? And Hushai said to Absalom, Ahithophel's idea is not a good one at this time. Hushai said further, You have knowledge of your father and his men, that they are men of war, and that their feelings are bitter, like those of a bear in the field whose young ones have been taken from her: and your father is a man of war, and will not take his night's rest with the people; But he will certainly have taken cover now in some hole or secret place; and if some of our people, at the first attack, are overcome, then any hearing of it will say, There is destruction among the people who are on Absalom's side. Then even the strongest, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will become like water; for all Israel is conscious that your father is a man of war, and those who are with him are strong and without fear. But my suggestion is that all Israel, from Dan as far as Beer-sheba, comes together to you, a great army like the sands of the sea in number; and that you yourself go out among them. Then we will come on him in some place, wherever he may be, falling on him as the dew comes on the earth: and of him and all the men who are with him not one will get away with his life. And if he has gone into some town, then let all Israel take strong cords to that town, and we will have it pulled into the valley, till not one small stone is to be seen there. Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, Hushai's suggestion is better than that of Ahithophel. For it was the purpose of the Lord to make the wise designs of Ahithophel without effect, so that the Lord might send evil on Absalom. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, This is the suggestion made by Ahithophel to Absalom and the responsible men of Israel, and this is what I said to them.
Council » Apostolic
Now certain men came down from Judaea, teaching the brothers and saying that without circumcision, after the rule of Moses, there is no salvation. And after Paul and Barnabas had had no little argument and discussion with them, the brothers made a decision to send Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them to the Apostles and the rulers of the church at Jerusalem about this question. So they, being sent on their way by the church, went through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving news of the salvation of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the brothers. read more.
And when they came to Jerusalem, they had a meeting with the church and the Apostles and the rulers, and they gave an account of all the things which God had done through them. But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses. And the Apostles and the rulers of the church came together and gave thought to the question. And when there had been much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, My brothers, you have knowledge that some time back it was God's pleasure that by my mouth the good news might be given to the Gentiles so that they might have faith. And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us; Making no division between them and us, but making clean their hearts by faith. Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it? But we have faith that we will get salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they. And all the people were quiet while Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the signs and wonders which God had done among the Gentiles by them. And when they had come to an end, James, answering, said, My brothers, give ear to me: Symeon has given an account of how God was first pleased to take from among the Gentiles a people for himself. And this is in agreement with the words of the prophets, as it is said, After these things I will come back, and will put up the tent of David which has been broken down, building up again its broken parts and making it complete: So that the rest of men may make search for the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is named, Says the Lord, who has made these things clear from the earliest times. For this reason my decision is, that we do not put trouble in the way of those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; But that we give them orders to keep themselves from things offered to false gods, and from the evil desires of the body, and from the flesh of animals put to death in ways against the law, and from blood. For Moses, from times long past, has his preachers in every town, reading his law in the Synagogues every Sabbath. Then it seemed good to the Apostles and the rulers and all the church, to send men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, named Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers: And they sent a letter by them, saying, The Apostles and the older brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, may joy be with you: Because we have knowledge that some who went from us have been troubling you with their words, putting your souls in doubt; to whom we gave no such order; It seemed good to us, having come to an agreement together, to send these men to you, with our well loved Barnabas and Paul, Men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so we have sent Judas and Silas, who will say the same things to you themselves, by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to put on you nothing more than these necessary things; To keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. May you be happy.
And when they came to Jerusalem, they had a meeting with the church and the Apostles and the rulers, and they gave an account of all the things which God had done through them. But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses. And the Apostles and the rulers of the church came together and gave thought to the question. And when there had been much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, My brothers, you have knowledge that some time back it was God's pleasure that by my mouth the good news might be given to the Gentiles so that they might have faith. And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us; Making no division between them and us, but making clean their hearts by faith. Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it? But we have faith that we will get salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they. And all the people were quiet while Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the signs and wonders which God had done among the Gentiles by them. And when they had come to an end, James, answering, said, My brothers, give ear to me: Symeon has given an account of how God was first pleased to take from among the Gentiles a people for himself. And this is in agreement with the words of the prophets, as it is said, After these things I will come back, and will put up the tent of David which has been broken down, building up again its broken parts and making it complete: So that the rest of men may make search for the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is named, Says the Lord, who has made these things clear from the earliest times. For this reason my decision is, that we do not put trouble in the way of those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; But that we give them orders to keep themselves from things offered to false gods, and from the evil desires of the body, and from the flesh of animals put to death in ways against the law, and from blood. For Moses, from times long past, has his preachers in every town, reading his law in the Synagogues every Sabbath. Then it seemed good to the Apostles and the rulers and all the church, to send men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, named Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers: And they sent a letter by them, saying, The Apostles and the older brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, may joy be with you: Because we have knowledge that some who went from us have been troubling you with their words, putting your souls in doubt; to whom we gave no such order; It seemed good to us, having come to an agreement together, to send these men to you, with our well loved Barnabas and Paul, Men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so we have sent Judas and Silas, who will say the same things to you themselves, by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to put on you nothing more than these necessary things; To keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. May you be happy.