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.

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

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

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

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

and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:“ Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”Again, it says,“ Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”And again,“ Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”And again, Isaiah says,“ The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” (niv)

This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say,‘ Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say,‘ Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” (niv)

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel,but the official told Daniel,“ I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,“ Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. (niv)

For this is what the Lord has commanded us:“‘ I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. (niv)

to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. (niv)

“ Go and tell Ebed- Melek the Cushite,‘ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city— words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. (niv)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, (niv)

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (niv)

The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob. (niv)

But Ebed-Melek, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate,Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him,“ My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.”Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite,“ Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”So Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah,“ Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard. (niv)

He replied,“ It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”“ Yes it is, Lord,” she said.“ Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (niv)

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. (niv)

but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.For God does not show favoritism. (niv)

They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. (niv)

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. (niv)

So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him:“ Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one,‘ Go,’ and he goes; and that one,‘ Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant,‘ Do this,’ and he does it. (niv)

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. (niv)

For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others— and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.Jesus said,“ Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked,“ Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”“ Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied.“ There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”“ Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied,“‘ You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,honor your father and mother,’ and‘ love your neighbor as yourself.’”“ All these I have kept,” the young man said.“ What do I still lack?”Jesus answered,“ If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.Then Jesus said to his disciples,“ Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich 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 someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked,“ Who then can be saved?”Jesus looked at them and said,“ With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”Peter answered him,“ We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”Jesus said to them,“ Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (niv)

Then Peter began to speak:“ I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism (niv)

And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (niv)

But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (niv)

And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (niv)

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. (niv)

But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.” (niv)

The Lord will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods of the earth. Distant nations will bow down to him, all of them in their own lands. (niv)

No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. (niv)

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,“ Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (niv)

They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting— all the work at the tent— and no one else may come near where you are. (niv)

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,“ Go south to the road— the desert road— that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake( which means“ queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.The Spirit told Philip,“ Go to that chariot and stay near it.”Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.“ Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.“ How can I,” he said,“ unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:“ He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”The eunuch asked Philip,“ Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said,“ Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” (niv)