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19  They made a calf at Horeb ♦︎
   and worshipped the molten image;
20  Thus they exchanged their glory ♦︎
   for the image of an ox that feeds on hay.
21  They forgot God their saviour, ♦︎
   who had done such great things in Egypt,
22  Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham ♦︎
   and fearful things at the Red Sea.
23  So he would have destroyed them,
      had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, ♦︎
   to turn away his wrath from consuming them.
24  Then they scorned the Promised Land ♦︎
   and would not believe his word,
25  But murmured in their tents ♦︎
   and would not heed the voice of the Lord.
26  So he lifted his hand against them ♦︎
   and swore to overthrow them in the wilderness,
27  To disperse their descendants among the nations, ♦︎
   and to scatter them throughout the lands.
28  They joined themselves to the Baal of Peor ♦︎
   and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29  They provoked him to anger with their evil deeds ♦︎
   and a plague broke out among them.
30  Then Phinehas stood up and interceded ♦︎
   and so the plague was stayed.
31  This was counted to him for righteousness ♦︎
   throughout all generations for ever.
32  They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, ♦︎
   so that Moses suffered for their sake;
33  For they so embittered his spirit ♦︎
   that he spoke rash words with his lips.
34  They did not destroy the peoples ♦︎
   as the Lord had commanded them.
35  They mingled with the nations ♦︎
   and learned to follow their ways,
36  So that they worshipped their idols, ♦︎
   which became to them a snare.
37  Their own sons and daughters ♦︎
   they sacrificed to evil spirits.
38  They shed innocent blood, ♦︎
   the blood of their sons and daughters,
39  Which they offered to the idols of Canaan, ♦︎
   and the land was defiled with blood.
40  Thus were they polluted by their actions, ♦︎
   and in their wanton deeds went whoring after other gods.
41  Therefore was the wrath of the Lord
      kindled against his people, ♦︎
   and he abhorred his inheritance.
42  He gave them over to the hand of the nations, ♦︎
   and those who hated them ruled over them.
43  So their enemies oppressed them ♦︎
   and put them in subjection under their hand.

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28‘Surely there is a mine for silver,
   and a place for gold to be refined.
² Iron is taken out of the earth,
   and copper is smelted from ore.
³ Miners put^* an end to darkness,
   and search out to the farthest bound
   the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
⁴ They open shafts in a valley away from human habitation;
   they are forgotten by travellers,
   they sway suspended, remote from people.
⁵ As for the earth, out of it comes bread;
   but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
⁶ Its stones are the place of sapphires,^*
   and its dust contains gold.

⁷ ‘That path no bird of prey knows,
   and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.
⁸ The proud wild animals have not trodden it;
   the lion has not passed over it.

⁹ ‘They put their hand to the flinty rock,
   and overturn mountains by the roots.
¹⁰ They cut out channels in the rocks,
   and their eyes see every precious thing.
¹¹ The sources of the rivers they probe;^*
   hidden things they bring to light.

¹² ‘But where shall wisdom be found?
   And where is the place of understanding?
¹³ Mortals do not know the way to it,^*
   and it is not found in the land of the living.
¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”,
   and the sea says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵ It cannot be bought for gold,
   and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.
¹⁶ It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
   in precious onyx or sapphire.^*
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it,
   nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
¹⁸ No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
   the price of wisdom is above pearls.
¹⁹ The chrysolite of Ethiopia^* cannot compare with it,
   nor can it be valued in pure gold.

²⁰ ‘Where then does wisdom come from?
   And where is the place of understanding?
²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
   and concealed from the birds of the air.
²² Abaddon and Death say,
   “We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.”

²³ ‘God understands the way to it,
   and he knows its place.
²⁴ For he looks to the ends of the earth,
   and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ When he gave to the wind its weight,
   and apportioned out the waters by measure;
²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain,
   and a way for the thunderbolt;
²⁷ then he saw it and declared it;
   he established it, and searched it out.
²⁸ And he said to humankind,
“Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
   and to depart from evil is understanding.” ’

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. ²⁷When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ ²⁹The jailer^* called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ ³¹They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ ³²They spoke the word of the Lord^* to him and to all who were in his house. ³³At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. ³⁴He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

35 When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ ³⁶And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.’ ³⁷But Paul replied, ‘They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.’ ³⁸The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; ³⁹so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters^* there, they departed.