64 Bible Verses about Reformation

And Samuel spake unto all Israel, saying, "If ye be come again unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD and serve him alone; and so shall he rid you out of the hands of the Philistines."

Then said Jacob unto his household, and to all that were with him, "Put away the strange gods that are among you and make yourselves clean, and change your garments,

And now, fear the LORD and serve him in pureness and truth: And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the water, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, then choose you this day, whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the water, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land, ye dwelt. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD and serve strange gods.read more.
For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage, and which did those miracles in our sight, and preserved us in all the way we went and among all the nations which we came through. And the LORD did cast out before us all the nations with the Amorites which dwelt in the land, wherefore we will serve the LORD - for he is our God." But Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is a holy God and cannot bear your transgression and sin. But when ye have forsaken the LORD and have served strange gods, he will turn and do you evil and consume you, after that he hath done you good." And the people answered Joshua, "Nay, but we will serve the LORD." Then Joshua said unto the folk, "Ye are witnesses unto yourselves, that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." "Then put away," said he, "the strange gods which are among you, and bow your hearts unto the LORD God of Israel." And the people answered Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve and his voice we will obey."

And the same night the LORD said unto him, "Take an ox of thy father's and another of seven years old, and destroy the altar of Baal that belongeth unto thy father, and cut down the grove that is about it, and make an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock and furnish it. And take the second ox and offer burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove, which thou shalt have cut down." Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD bade him. But because he durst not do it by day for fear of his father's household and of the men of the city, he did it by night.

After that, Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little: but Jehu shall serve him a good. Now, therefore, call unto me all the Prophets of Baal and all his servants and all his priests that none be lacking. For I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal: and if any be missed, he shall not live." But Jehu did it for a subtlety, to destroy the servants of Baal. Wherefore Jehu said, "Appoint a solemn feast for Baal." And they proclaimed it.read more.
Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel. And all the servants of Baal came, that there was not a man left behind that came not. And when they were come into the temple of Baal, the temple was full from one end to another. Then he said to the keeper of the vestry, bring forth garments for the servants of Baal. And he brought them out garments. And Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Rechab into the house of Baal: and said to the servants of Baal, "Search and look that there be none here with you of the servants of the LORD, but the servants of Baal only." And they went in, to offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. But Jehu appointed him four score men without, and said, "If any of the men that I shall bring unto your hands escape, he that letteth him go shall die for him." And as soon as he had made an end of offering of burnt sacrifice, he said to them of the guard and to the lords, "Go in and slay them, let none come out." And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the guard and the lords cast them out, and went unto the city of the house of Baal, and fetched out the image out of the house of Baal and burnt it. And they brake the image of Baal, and brake the house of Baal, and made a privy house thereof, unto this day.

And Jehoiada made a covenant both between the LORD and the king, and between the people and the LORD, that they should be the LORD's people: and also between the king and the people. Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and destroyed his altars, and brake down his images lustily, and slew Nathan, the priest of Baal, before the altar. And the priest set watchmen in the house of the LORD,

And Jehoiada made a bond between him and all the people and the king, to be the LORD's people. And all the people went to the house of Baal and destroyed it, and brake his altars and his images, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Neverthelater, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast put away groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God."

And he took away the strange gods and the Idol out of the house of God, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of God and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

Wherefore my dear beloved, flee from worshipping of idols.

Little children, beware of images. Amen. {Here ends the First General Epistle of John}

And he made the stews of males depart the land, and put away all the idols that his fathers had made. And thereto he put down Maacah his mother from bearing rule, because she had made an idol in a grove. And Asa destroyed her idol and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

When Asa heard those words and the prophecy of Azariah the son of Obed the Prophet, he took courage and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he won in mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD that was before the porch of the LORD.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon. For there fell many to him out of Israel, when they saw that God was with him. And they assembled at Jerusalem the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they offered unto the LORD that same time of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.read more.
And they made a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers, with all their hearts and all their souls: so that all that sought not the LORD God of Israel, should die for it, whether he were small or great, man or woman. And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice and shouting and with trumpets and horns. And all Judah rejoiced in the oath, for they had sworn with all their hearts, and sought him with all their lust, and he was found of them. And the LORD gave them rest round about.

He put away the hill altars, and brake the images and cut down the groves, and all to brake the brazen serpent that Moses made - for unto those days the children of Israel did burn sacrifice to it, and called it Nehushtan.

And when they had finished all this, then all Israel that were found in cities of Judah went out and brake the Images and cut down the groves, and all to break the hill altars and the other altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had made an end of them. And afterward all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession in their own cities.

He opened the doors of the house of the LORD in the first year and first month of his reign, and he repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the east street, and said unto them, "Hear me ye Levites: purify yourselves and hallow the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and bring out the filthiness out of the holy place.read more.
For our fathers have trespassed and done evil favouredly in the eyes of the LORD our God: and have forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned to their backs. And beside that they have shut up the doors of the porch and quenched the lamps and have neither burned cense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

Now have I in my heart to strike a covenant with the LORD God of Israel: that his wrath may cease. Now therefore, my sons, be not negligent: for the LORD had chosen you to stand before him, and for to minister and burn offerings to him."

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and thereto wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to offer Passover unto the LORD God of Israel. And the king held a counsel with his lords and all the congregation at Jerusalem to keep the feast of Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time: for there were not priests enough sanctified, neither was the people gathered together to Jerusalem.read more.
And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. And they decreed that it should be proclaimed throughout all Israel from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come and hold the feast of the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not often done it, as it is written how they should. And the messengers went with letters of the hand of the king and of his lords throughout all Israel and Judah, at the commandment of the king; which said, "Children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and so will he turn to the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hands of the king of Assyria. And be ye not like your fathers and your brethren which trespassed against the LORD of your fathers, which therefore gave them up that they are wasted, as ye see. Wherefore, be not stiff-necked like unto your fathers, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and come to his holy place which he hath sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his wrath may turn from you. For if ye turn unto the LORD, then your brethren and your children shall find compassion in the presence of them that hold them captive, that they may come again unto this land: for the LORD your God is full of mercy and compassion, and will not turn his face from you, if ye turn again to him." And the posts went from city to city throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and even unto Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless, yet divers of Asher, Manasseh and of Zebulun meekened themselves and came to Jerusalem. And thereto the hand of God was in Judah, to make them of one accord to do the commandment of the king and the captains, which was according to the word of the LORD. And so there assembled to Jerusalem much people and a mighty great congregation, to hold the feast of sweet bread in the second month. And they arose and put away the altars that were in Jerusalem. And thereto all the incense they did away and cast them into the brook Kidron. And they slew Passover the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and Levites sanctified themselves for shame, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. And they stood in their standing after their manner according to the law of Moses, the man of God. And the priests sprinkled the blood, receiving it of the hands of the Levites. And because there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: and therefore did the Levites slay Passover for all that were not clean to sanctify them to the LORD. There was very much people out of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun that were not clean, and therefore did eat Passover otherwise than writing specifieth. But Hezekiah prayed for them, and said, "The good LORD be merciful to all that set their hearts to seek the God that is the LORD God of their fathers, though they do it not according to the cleanness of the holy place." And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. And so the children of Israel that were found at Jerusalem, held the feast of sweet bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day with loud instruments. And Hezekiah spake heartily unto the Levites that had good understanding of the LORD. And they did eat that feast seven days long and offered peace offerings and thanked the LORD God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep seven days more: and they held those seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah gave for heave offerings to the congregation a thousand oxen and seven thousand sheep. And the lords gave to the congregation for heave offerings a thousand oxen and ten thousand sheep. And the priests sanctified themselves, that they were enough. And all the congregation of Judah with the priests and Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers, both that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced: and there was great joy in Jerusalem. For since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel it happened not so in Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer went up unto his holy dwelling place heaven.

And Hezekiah set the priests and the Levites in their order to wait by course, every man according to his office whether priest or Levite, for the burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to minister and to thank and to pray in the gates of the lodge of the LORD. And the king gave a portion of his substance for burnt offerings at morning and even, and for burnt offerings on the Sabbath days and new moons and other solemn feasts, according as it is written in the law of the LORD. And he bade the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the part of the priests and Levites, that they might be maintained in the law of the LORD.read more.
And as soon as the word came abroad the children of Israel brought abundance of first fruits of corn, wine, oil and honey, and of all manner of fruits of the field: and the tithes of all manner of things brought they in plenteously. And the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheep, and tithes of dedicated things which were dedicated to the LORD their God, and put them on heaps. In the third month they began to lay the heaps and finished them the seventh. And when Hezekiah and the lords came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel. And Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, "Since they began to bring the heave offerings into the house of the LORD, we have eaten and had enough, and yet left abundance, for the LORD hath blessed his people and thereof is this heap left." And Hezekiah bade dress up the store houses about the house of the LORD. And so they did, and carried in the heave offerings and the tithes and the dedicated gifts; even of fidelity. Over which Conaniah the Levite had the rule with Shimei his brother next to him. And Jehiel, Azariah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers ordained by Conaniah and Shimei his brother, at the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, porter of the East door, had the oversight of the freewill offerings of God, to give heave offerings unto the LORD, and was over things most holy. And under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests of their fidelity, to give to their brethren their portions, as well to the small as to the great. And to the males also that were reckoned from three years and above, among all that went into the house of the LORD day by day, to do service and to wait by course. And to the priests that were reckoned in the households of their fathers from twenty years and above, to wait when their courses came. And to them that were reckoned throughout all their babes, wives, sons and daughters throughout all the congregation. For to the fidelity of them did men commit their sanctified gifts. And thereto among the children of Aaron the priests were men named by name in the fields of the suburbs of all their cities, city by city, for to give portions to all the males of the priests and to all that were reckoned among the Levites.

And the eighteenth year of his reign king Josiah sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe to the house of the LORD, saying, "Go to Hilkiah the high priest, and let him sum the silver that is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the doors have gathered of the people; and let them deliver it into the hands of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of the LORD, which shall give it to them that work upon the house of the LORD, to repair the decayed places thereof -read more.
even unto carpenters and masons, and for to buy timber and free stone to repair the house. Howbeit, let no reckoning be made with them of the money that is delivered into their hands, but let them do it of their conscience."

And in the eighteenth year of his reign when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, men delivered them the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the entries had gathered of the hands of Manasseh and Ephraim and of all that yet remained in Israel and of all Judah and Benjamin and of the inhabiters of Jerusalem. And they put it in the hands of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD. which gave it to the laborers that wrought on the house of the LORD, to repair and mend it,read more.
and to masons and carpenters to buy hewed stone and timber for to make couples and beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed: And the men wrought in the work of fidelity. And the overseers of them, to courage them forward, were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the children of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam of the children of the Kohathites; and as many other of the Levites as could skill of instruments of Music. And over the bearers of burdens and over all that wrought, in whatsoever workmanship it were, went there scribes, officers and porters of the Levites.

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the inferior priests and the keepers of the door, to bring out of the temple of the LORD, all the vessels that were made for Baal and for the grove and for all the host of heaven. And he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried the ashes of them into Bethel. And he put down the Chemarims which the kings of Judah had set to burn offerings in the hill altars in the cities of Judah round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the grove from the temple of the LORD without Jerusalem unto the brook Kidron, and stamped it to powder, and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of people of the country.read more.
And he brake down the cells of the male whores that were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove little houses for the grove. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the hill altars where the priests did burn sacrifice, even from Geba to Beersheba. And he brake down the hill altars of the Gates, that were in the entering of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on the left hand of the gate of the city. Nevertheless, the priests of the hill altars came not up at the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, save only they did eat of the sweet bread among their brethren. And he defiled Tophet also, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, because no man should offer his son or his daughter in fire to Moloch. He put down the horses that the kings of Israel had given to the son at the entering of the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain which was the ruler of the suburbs, and burnt the chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that were on the top of the parlour of Ahaz which the king of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king brake down, and ran thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. And the hill altars that were before Jerusalem on the righthand of the mount Nashith, which Solomon king of Israel built to Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians and to Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and to Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, the king defiled: and brake the images and cut down the groves and filled the places with the bones of men. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, the hill altar made by Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin - both the altar and also the hill - he brake down and burnt the hill and stamped it to powder, and burnt the grove. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the graves that were in the mount and sent and fetched the bones out of the graves and burnt them upon the altar and polluted it according to the word of the LORD that the man of God had proclaimed, which openly had denounced the same things. Then the king said, "What meaneth yonder grave stone that I see?" And the men of the city told him, "It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah and openly denounced the selfsame things that thou hast done to the altar of Bethel." And he said, "Let him be: see that no man move his bones." And so his bones escaped with the bones of a Prophet that came out of Samaria. And thereto all the houses of the hill altars of the cities of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made, to anger withal, Josiah put out of the way and did to them in all points as he did in Bethel. And he sacrificed all the priests of the hill altars that were there, even upon the altars, and burnt men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. And the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the feast of passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant." For there was no passover held like that from the days of the judges that judged Israel, and throughout all the days of the kings of Israel and of Judah. And in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. And thereto workers with spirits, soothsayers, Images of witchcraft, idols and all other abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, Josiah put out of the way to make good the words of the law, which were written in the book that Helkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

Insomuch that the eighth year of his reign, when he was yet a lad, he began to seek after the God of David his father. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of hill altars, groves, carved Images, and Images of metal: so that they brake down the altars of Baals even in his presence, and the Idols that were upon them he caused to be destroyed. And the groves, carved Images, and Images of metal he brake and made dust of them, and strawed it upon the graves of them that had offered to them. And he burnt the bones of the priests upon the altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.read more.
And even so did he in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon and of Naphtali thereto. And in the wildernesses of them round about he plucked asunder the altars and the groves and did beat them and stamp them to powder, and beat down the idols throughout all the land of Israel: and then returned to Jerusalem again.

And Josiah put away all manner of abominations out of all lands that pertained to the children of Israel, and brought all that were found in Israel, to serve the LORD their God. And they turned not aside from after the LORD God of their fathers as long as he lived.

And the king, as soon as he had heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes and commanded Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, "Go ye and seek of the LORD for me, and the people, and for all Judah; concerning the words of this book that is found. For it is a great wrath of the LORD that is kindled upon us, that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do in all points as it is written therein."read more.
And Hilkiah the high priest and Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went unto Huldah the Prophetess, wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Harahas keeper of the robes - which Prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward - and communed with her. And she said to them, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: 'Tell the man that sent you to me, thus sayeth the LORD: behold I will bring evil upon this place and on the dwellers therein - even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read - because they have forsaken me and have burnt offerings unto other gods, to anger me with all the works of their hands. Therefore is my wrath kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, as touching the words which thou heardest. Because thine heart did melt and thou meekedest thyself before me, the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabiters of the same, how that it should be destroyed and made accursed: and tearest thy clothes and weepest before me: of that also I have heard sayeth the LORD. And therefore, see, I will receive ye unto thy fathers and will fetch thee unto thy grave in peace, thine eyes shall see none of the evil which I will bring upon this place." And they brought the king word again.

And when the king had heard the words of the law, he tare his clothes, and commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and the said Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah, a servant of the king's, saying, "Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for them that are left in Israel and Judah concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is fallen upon us, because our fathers kept not the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book."read more.
And Hilkiah, with them that pertained to the king, went to Huldah, a prophetess, wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe - which prophetess dwelt in Jerusalem in the second ward - and they communed so with her. And she said unto them, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: 'Tell ye the man that sent you to me, even thus sayeth the LORD: See, I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabiters thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah, because they have forsaken me and have offered unto other gods to anger me with all manner works of their hands, therefore is my wrath set on fire against this place and shall not be quenched. And as for the king of Judah, which sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him: Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard: Because thine heart did melt and thou didst meek thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabiters thereof, and humblest thyself before me, and tarest thy clothes and weepest before me, that have I heard also, sayeth the LORD. Behold, I will take thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the mischief that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabiters of the same.'" And they brought the king word again.

And then the king sent and gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabiters of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the Prophets and all the people both small and great. And he read in the ears of them all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD that they should walk after the LORD, and keep his commandments and his witnesses and his ordinances with all their hearts and all their souls, and make good the words of the said covenant that were written in the foresaid book. And all the people consented to the covenant.

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem and the Priests and Levites and all the people great and small: and read all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood at his standing and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep his commandments, his witnesses and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and to fulfill the words of the covenant written in the said book.read more.
And he made to come forth all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem promised to keep the covenant of the God which was the God of their fathers.

And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD that they should walk after the LORD, and keep his commandments and his witnesses and his ordinances with all their hearts and all their souls, and make good the words of the said covenant that were written in the foresaid book. And all the people consented to the covenant.

And the king stood at his standing and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep his commandments, his witnesses and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and to fulfill the words of the covenant written in the said book. And he made to come forth all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem promised to keep the covenant of the God which was the God of their fathers.

And the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the feast of passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant." For there was no passover held like that from the days of the judges that judged Israel, and throughout all the days of the kings of Israel and of Judah. And in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

And Josiah held the feast of Passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slew Passover in the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests in their offices and aided them in the service of the house of the LORD. And he said to the Levites that taught throughout all Israel and were sanctified unto the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; ye need not to bear it upon your shoulders. Wherefore now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.read more.
And prepare yourselves by your ancient households and companies, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and the writing of Solomon his son. And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the ancient households of your brethren the children of the people, and after the division of the ancient households of the Levites, and kill Passover; sanctify and prepare your brethren that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses." And Josiah gave to the common people in lambs and kids, for Passover offerings only, unto all that were present thirty thousand by tally, and three thousand oxen; even of the king's substance. And his lords gave willingly both unto the people and also unto the priests and unto the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred lambs and kids, and three hundred oxen. And Conaniah with Shemaiah and Nethanel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, lords of the Levites, gave unto the Levites five thousand Passover offerings, and five hundred oxen. And so the service went forward: and the priests stood in their places, and the Levites in their companies at the king's commandment. And they slew Passover: and the priests sprinkled the blood, receiving it of the Levites, and the Levites stripped the beasts. And they fetched away the burnt offerings, to give them unto the common people as they were divided by ancient houses, for to offer unto the LORD; like as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen too. And they dressed the Passover with fire as the manner was. But the other hallowed, dedicated beasts they sod in pots, cauldrons and pans and divided them quickly among all the common people. And afterward they made ready for themselves and for the priests and for the children of Aaron, which were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night. And therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons of Aaron. And the singers the children of Asaph stood in their standing according to the commandment of David and Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer of visions: and the porters waited at every gate, and might not depart from their service. But their brethren the Levites prepared for them. And so all the service of the LORD went forward the said day, in offering Passover of burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah. And so the children of Israel that could be found, offered Passover the same time and kept the feast of sweet bread seven days. And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the time of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of the kings of Israel hold such a Passover feast as did Josiah and the priests and Levites and all Judah, and as much of Israel as could be had, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem. And this Passover was holden in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.

And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the children of Elam, answered, and said unto Ezra, "We have trespassed against the LORD our God, in that we have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Now there is hope yet in Israel concerning this: for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

Then all this was performed, the rulers came to me, and said, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and Levites are not separated from the nations in the lands as touching their abominations, namely of the Cananites, Hittites, Perezites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For they have taken the daughters of the same, and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the nations in the lands: and the hand of the rulers and lords of council hath been principal in this trespass." When I heard this, I rent my clothes and my raiment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat mourning.read more.
And there resorted unto me all such as feared the word of the LORD God of Israel, because of the great transgression. And I sat mourning until the evening sacrifice. And about the evening sacrifice I rose up from my heaviness, and rent my clothes and my raiment, and fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God; and said, "My God, I am ashamed, and dare not lift up mine eyes unto thee my God: for our wickednesses are grown over our head, and our trespasses are waxen great unto the heaven. Since the time of our fathers have we been in great trespass unto this day, and because of our wickedness have we and our kings been delivered into the hand of the kings of the nations, in to the sword, in to captivity, in to spoil, and in to confusion of face, as it is come to pass this day. But now is there a little and sudden graciousness come from the LORD our God, so that some of us are escaped: that he may give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and give us a little life in our bondage. For we are bondmen, and our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, and hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, that he should give us life, and promote the house of our God, and to set up the desolation thereof, and to give us a hedge in Judah and in Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken thy commandments, which thou hast commanded by thy servants the Prophets, and said, 'The land unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land through the filthiness of the people of the lands, in their abominations wherewith they have made it full of uncleanness on every side. Therefore shall ye not give your daughters unto their sons, and their daughters shall ye not take unto your sons, and seek not their peace and wealth forever, that ye may be strong, and enjoy the good in the land, and that ye and your children may have the inheritance of it for evermore.' And after all this that is come upon us, because of our evil deeds and great trespass, thou our God hast spared our wickednesses, and hast given us a deliverance as it is come to pass this day. As for us, we have turned back, and have let go thy commandments, to make contract with the people of these abominations. Wilt thou then be wroth at us, till we be utterly consumed, so that nothing remain, and there be no deliverance? O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day. Behold, in thy presence are we in our trespass: for because of it is there no standing before thee."

Then rose Ezra, and took an oath of the rulers, priests, and Levites, and all of Israel, that they should do according to this word: and they sware. And Ezra stood up before the house of God, and went in to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And when he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been in captivity. And they caused a proclamation be made throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem:read more.
And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain. And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, "Ye have transgressed, that have taken strange wives, to make the trespass of Israel yet more: confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives." Then answered all the congregation and said with a loud voice, "Let it be done as thou hast said. But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather; and the people are too faint to tarry without in the street - neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression. Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense." Then were appointed Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah over this matter: And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites helped them. And the children of the captivity did even so. And Ezra the priest, and the ancient heads through the house of their fathers, and all that were now rehearsed by name, separated themselves; and sat them down on the first day of the tenth month to examine this matter. And on the first day of the first month they made an end of all the men that had taken strange wives.

And at the same time saw I Jews, that married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and of Moab; and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of the one people and the other people. And I reproved them, and cursed them, and smote certain men of them, and plucked them up, and took an oath of them by God, "Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.read more.
Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin therein? And yet among many Heathen was there no king like him, and he was dear unto his God, and God made him king over all Israel, and yet nevertheless outlandish women caused him to sin? And shall we then obey unto you, to do all this great evil, and to transgress against our God, and marry strange wives?"

And before this had the Priest Eliashib delivered the chest of the house of our God unto his kinsman Tobiah: for he had made him a great chest, and there had they afore time laid the meat offerings, frankincense, vessel, and the tithes of corn, wine and oil - according to the commandment given to the Levites, singers and porters - and the heave offerings of the priests. But in all this was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I license of the kingread more.
to come to Jerusalem. And I gat knowledge of the evil that Eliashib did unto Tobiah, in that he had made him a chest in the court of the house of God, and it grieved me sore, and I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobiah out of the chest, and commanded them to cleanse the chest. And thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, the meat offering and the incense. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites were not given them, for the which cause the Levites and singers were fled, everyone, to his land for to work. Then reproved I the rulers, and said, "Why forsake we the house of God?" But I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithes of corn, wine and oil unto the treasury. And I made treasurers over the treasure, even Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

At the same time saw I some treading wine presses on the Sabbath and bringing in clusters, and asses laden with wine, grapes, figs, and bringing all manner of burdens unto Jerusalem, upon the Sabbath day. And I rebuked them earnestly the same day that they sold the victuals.

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all manner of wares, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and Jerusalem. Then reproved I the rulers in Judah, and said unto them, "What evil thing is this that ye do, and break the Sabbath day? Did not our fathers even thus, and our God brought all this plague upon us and upon this city? And ye make the wrath more yet upon Israel, in that ye break the Sabbath."read more.
And it fortuned, that when the ports of Jerusalem began to be dark in the evening before the Sabbath, I commanded to shut the gates, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. Then remained the chapmen and merchants once or twice overnight without Jerusalem with all manner of wares. Then reproved I them sore, and said unto them, "Why tarry ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once again, I will lay hands upon you." From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. And I said unto the Levites which were clean, that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the Sabbath day. Think upon me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to thy great mercy!

And so Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. But from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin with the golden calves in Bethel and Dan, Jehu departed not.

But he put not down the hill altars. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was whole with the LORD all his days.

But they put not the hill altars out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was pure all his life.

And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the LORD: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless, he continued in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin, and shrank not therefrom.

And he did that pleased the LORD, as long as Jehoiada the Priest informed him. But they took not away the hill altars, for the people slew and offered still in the hill altars.

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel. Amend your ways and your counsels, and I will let you dwell in this place.

Yet if my people that are named after my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my presence, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and be merciful to their sins, and will heal their land.

Thus saith the LORD God: Wash and be clean; put away the wickedness of your imaginations out of my sight. Cease to do evil and learn to do well. Study to do righteously, and help the oppressed. Avenge the fatherless and defend the cause of widows. Come, let us show each his grief to other and make an atonement, saith the LORD.

Seek the LORD, while he may be found, and call upon him while he is nigh. Let the ungodly man forsake his ways and the unrighteous his imaginations, and turn again unto the LORD: so shall he be merciful unto him; and to our God, for he is ready to forgive.

"Speak now therefore unto whole Judah, and to them that dwell at Jerusalem. Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I am devising a plague for you, and am taking a thing in hand against you. Therefore let every man turn from his evil way, take upon you the thing that is good, and do right.

Therefore amend your ways, and your advisements, and be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God: so shall the LORD repent of the plague, that he had devised against you.

Yea, I have sent my servants, all the prophets, unto you. I rose up early, and sent you word, saying: O turn you, every man from his wicked way: amend your lives, and go not after strange gods, to worship them: that ye may continue in the land, which I have given unto you and your fathers. But ye would neither hear me, nor follow me.

And say thou unto them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Turn you unto me, sayeth the LORD of Hosts; and I will turn me unto you, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

Repent ye, therefore, and turn: that your sins may be done away when the time of refreshing cometh, which we shall have of the presence of the Lord, and when God shall send him, which before was preached unto you, that is, to wit, Jesus Christ: which must receive heaven until the time that all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began, be restored again.read more.
For Moses said unto the fathers, 'A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, even of your brethren, like unto me: him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. For the time will come, that every soul which shall not hear that same prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.' Also all the prophets from Samuel, and thenceforth, as many as have spoken, have in likewise told of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant, which God hath made unto our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'Even in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.' First unto you hath God raised up his son Jesus, and him he hath sent to bless you, that every one of you should turn from your wickedness."

Be awake, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If you shalt not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not once named among the gentiles: that one should have his father's wife. And ye swell and have not rather sorrowed, that he which hath done this deed might be put from among you. For I, verily, as absent in body, even so present in spirit, have determined already - as though I were present - of him that hath done this deed;read more.
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver him unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your rejoicing is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven soureth the whole lump of dough? Purge therefore the old leaven, that ye may be new dough, as ye are sweet bread. For Christ our Easter lamb is offered up for us. Therefore let us keep holiday, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of maliciousness and wickedness - but with the sweet bread of pureness and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle that ye should not company with fornicators. And I meant not at all of the fornicators of this world, either of the covetous, or of extortioners, either of the idolaters - for then must ye needs have gone out of the world - but now I write unto you that ye company not together. If any that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or a worshipper of images, either a railer, either a drunkard, or an extortioner: with him that is such see that ye eat not. For what have I to do to judge them which are without? Do ye not judge them that are within? Them that are without, God shall judge. Put away from among you that evil person.

Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works. Or else I will come unto thee shortly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou were cold or hot. So then, because thou art between both, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth: because thou sayest thou art rich and increased with goods, and hast need of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.read more.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich: and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that thy filthy nakedness do not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be fervent therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and will sup with him, and he with me.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, all superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meekness the word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls:

And fashion not yourselves like unto this world: But be changed through the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what thing that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God is.

so then, as concerning the conversation in time past, lay from you that old man, which is corrupt through the deceivable lusts, and be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on that new man, which after the image of God is shapen in righteousness, and true holiness.

Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, unnatural lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is worshipping of idols: for which thing's sakes the wrath of God cometh on the children of unbelief. In which things ye walked once, when ye lived in them.read more.
But now put ye also away from you all things; wrath, fierceness, maliciousness, cursed speaking, filthy speaking out of your mouths. Lie not one to another, that the old man with his works be put off, and the new put on; which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that made him:

And see that ye be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves with sophistry. For if any hear the word, and do it not, he is like unto a man that beholdeth his bodily face in a glass. For as soon as he hath looked on himself, he goeth his way, and forgetteth immediately what his fashion was:read more.
but whoso looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein - if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work - the same shall be happy in his deed.

Submit yourselves to God, and resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye wavering minded. Suffer afflictions: sorrow ye and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.read more.
Cast down yourselves before the Lord, and he shall lift you up.