to tell Ebedmelech the Ethiopian that the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, had said, "Just as I said I would, I am going to bring upon this city destruction and not prosperity. And when this happens, you will be there to see it.

I will keep you safe, and you will not be put to death. You will escape with your life because you have put your trust in me. I, the LORD, have spoken."

Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could, then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right.

Ambassadors will come from Egypt; the Ethiopians will raise their hands in prayer to God.

I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven.

But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth."

And Jesus concluded, "So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last."

Jesus answered, "There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead.

In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side.

He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.

And Jesus concluded, "In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor toward the man attacked by the robbers?"

People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down at the feast in the Kingdom of God.

Then those who are now last will be first, and those who are now first will be last."

So Philip got ready and went. Now an Ethiopian eunuch, who was an important official in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia, was on his way home. He had been to Jerusalem to worship God and was going back home in his carriage. As he rode along, he was reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to that carriage and stay close to it."

The official replied, "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" And he invited Philip to climb up and sit in the carriage with him.

He was humiliated, and justice was denied him. No one will be able to tell about his descendants, because his life on earth has come to an end."

Then Philip began to speak; starting from this passage of scripture, he told him the Good News about Jesus.

OMITTED TEXT

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The official did not see him again, but continued on his way, full of joy.

I wrote it after King Jehoiachin, his mother, the palace officials, the leaders of Judah and of Jerusalem, the engravers, and the skilled workers had been taken into exile.

(SEE 34:18)

Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon as a prisoner, together with Jehoiachin's mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of Judah.

But when I reached the Benjamin Gate, the officer in charge of the soldiers on duty there, a man by the name of Irijah, the son of Shelemiah and grandson of Hananiah, stopped me and said, "You are deserting to the Babylonians!"

His parents are to take him before the leaders of the town where he lives and make him stand trial.

Whenever the city elders met and I took my place among them,

The leaders of the people would stop talking;

Everyone who saw me or heard of me had good things to say about what I had done.

People who were in deepest misery praised me, and I helped widows find security.

I was eyes for the blind, and feet for the lame.

I destroyed the power of cruel men and rescued their victims.

You people hate anyone who challenges injustice and speaks the whole truth in court.