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Psalm 78

1  Hear my teaching, O my people; ♦︎
   incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2  I will open my mouth in a parable; ♦︎
   I will pour forth mysteries from of old,
3  Such as we have heard and known, ♦︎
   which our forebears have told us.
4  We will not hide from their children,
      but will recount to generations to come, ♦︎
   the praises of the Lord and his power
      and the wonderful works he has done.
5  He laid a solemn charge on Jacob
      and made it a law in Israel, ♦︎
   which he commanded them to teach their children,
6  That the generations to come might know,
      and the children yet unborn, ♦︎
   that they in turn might tell it to their children;
7  So that they might put their trust in God ♦︎
   and not forget the deeds of God,
      but keep his commandments,
8  And not be like their forebears,
      a stubborn and rebellious generation, ♦︎
   a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
      and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9  The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, ♦︎
   turned back in the day of battle;
10  They did not keep the covenant of God ♦︎
   and refused to walk in his law;
11  They forgot what he had done ♦︎
   and the wonders he had shown them.
12  For he did marvellous things in the sight of their forebears, ♦︎
   in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13  He divided the sea and let them pass through; ♦︎
   he made the waters stand still in a heap.
14  He led them with a cloud by day ♦︎
   and all the night through with a blaze of fire.
15  He split the hard rocks in the wilderness ♦︎
   and gave them drink as from the great deep.
16  He brought streams out of the rock ♦︎
   and made water gush out like rivers.
17  Yet for all this they sinned more against him ♦︎
   and defied the Most High in the wilderness.
18  They tested God in their hearts ♦︎
   and demanded food for their craving.
19  They spoke against God and said, ♦︎
   ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20  ‘He struck the rock indeed, so that the waters gushed out
      and the streams overflowed, ♦︎
   but can he give bread or provide meat for his people?’
21  When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath; ♦︎
   a fire was kindled against Jacob
      and his anger went out against Israel,
22  For they had no faith in God ♦︎
   and put no trust in his saving help.
23  So he commanded the clouds above ♦︎
   and opened the doors of heaven.
24  He rained down upon them manna to eat ♦︎
   and gave them the grain of heaven.
25  So mortals ate the bread of angels; ♦︎
   he sent them food in plenty.
26  He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens ♦︎
   and led out the south wind by his might.
27  He rained flesh upon them as thick as dust ♦︎
   and winged fowl like the sand of the sea.
28  He let it fall in the midst of their camp ♦︎
   and round about their tents.
29  So they ate and were well filled, ♦︎
   for he gave them what they desired.
30  But they did not stop their craving; ♦︎
   their food was still in their mouths,
31  When the anger of God rose against them, ♦︎
   and slew their strongest men
      and felled the flower of Israel.
32  But for all this, they sinned yet more ♦︎
   and put no faith in his wonderful works.
33  So he brought their days to an end like a breath ♦︎
   and their years in sudden terror.
34  Whenever he slew them, they would seek him; ♦︎
   they would repent and earnestly search for God.
35  They remembered that God was their rock ♦︎
   and the Most High God their redeemer.
36  Yet they did but flatter him with their mouth ♦︎
   and dissembled with their tongue.
37  Their heart was not steadfast towards him, ♦︎
   neither were they faithful to his covenant.
38  But he was so merciful that he forgave their misdeeds
      and did not destroy them; ♦︎
   many a time he turned back his wrath
      and did not suffer his whole displeasure to be roused.
39  For he remembered that they were but flesh, ♦︎
   a wind that passes by and does not return.

The Riot in Ephesus

21 Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, ‘After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.’ ²²So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia.

23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. ²⁴A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. ²⁵These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, ‘Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. ²⁶You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.’