No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

Joshua said to the family of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment.

They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend the king against his enemies.

The horn that was broken and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength.

But I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives, and have a strong commitment to justice. This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion, and Israel with its sin.

“How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the person who has no strength!

They did not remember what he had done, how he delivered them from the enemy,

Nevertheless the Lord will evict her and shove her fortifications into the sea – she will be consumed by fire.

They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

You are the source of wealth and honor; you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all.

Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all.

Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.”

The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”

I will break your strong pride and make your sky like iron and your land like bronze.

Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”

for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could,