The Question About the Resurrection.^o 27Some Sadducees,^* those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him,^p 28^* saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’^q 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. 30Then the second 31and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. 32Finally the woman also died. 33Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” 34Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.^* 37That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;^r 38and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”^s 39Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” 40And they no longer dared to ask him anything.^t

Offerings for the Temple. 1King David then said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced; the work, however, is great, for this palace is not meant for human beings, but for the LORD God.^a 2For this reason I have stored up for the house of my God, as far as I was able, gold for what will be made of gold, silver for what will be made of silver, bronze for what will be made of bronze, iron for what will be made of iron, wood for what will be made of wood, onyx stones and settings for them, carnelian and mosaic stones, every other kind of precious stone, and great quantities of marble.^b 3But now, because of the delight I take in the house of my God, in addition to all that I stored up for the holy house, I give to the house of my God my personal fortune in gold and silver: 4three thousand talents of Ophir gold, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the rooms,^c 5for the various utensils to be made of gold and silver, and for every work that is to be done by artisans. Now, who else will contribute generously and consecrate themselves this day to the LORD?”^d

6Then the heads of the families, the tribal commanders of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and those who had command of the king’s affairs came forward willingly^e 7and contributed for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.^f 8Those who had precious stones gave them into the keeping of Jehiel the Gershonite for the treasury of the house of the LORD.^g 9The people rejoiced over these free-will offerings, for they had been contributed to the LORD wholeheartedly. King David also rejoiced greatly.^h

David’s Prayer. 10Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of the whole assembly. David said:

“Blessed are you, LORD,

God of Israel our father,

from eternity to eternity.

11Yours, LORD, are greatness and might,

majesty, victory, and splendor.

For all in heaven and on earth is yours;

yours, LORD, is kingship;

you are exalted as head over all.

12Riches and glory are from you,

and you have dominion over all.

In your hand are power and might;

it is yours to give greatness and strength to all.ⁱ

13Therefore, our God, we give you thanks

and we praise the majesty of your name.

14“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should have the means to contribute so freely? For everything is from you, and what we give is what we have from you. 15For before you we are strangers and travelers, like all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without a future.^j 16LORD our God, all this wealth that we have brought together to build you a house for your holy name comes from you and is entirely yours. 17I know, my God, that you put hearts to the test and that you take pleasure in integrity. With a whole heart I have willingly given all these things, and now with joy I have seen your people here present also giving to you generously. 18LORD, God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,^k keep such thoughts in the hearts and minds of your people forever, and direct their hearts toward you. 19Give to my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to keep your commandments, precepts, and statutes, that he may carry out all these plans and build the palace for which I have made preparation.”

16Thus says the LORD,

who opens a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,^d

17Who leads out chariots and horsemen,

a powerful army,

Till they lie prostrate together, never to rise,

snuffed out, quenched like a wick.^e

18Remember not^* the events of the past,

the things of long ago consider not;

19See, I am doing something new!

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

In the wilderness I make a way,

in the wasteland, rivers.

20Wild beasts honor me,

jackals and ostriches,

For I put water in the wilderness

and rivers in the wasteland

for my chosen people to drink,

21The people whom I formed for myself,

that they might recount my praise.

22Yet you did not call upon me, Jacob,^*

for you grew weary of me, Israel.

23You did not bring me sheep for your burnt offerings,

nor honor me with your sacrifices.

I did not exact from you the service of offerings,

nor weary you for frankincense.^f

24You did not buy me sweet cane,^*

nor did you fill me with the fat of your sacrifices;

Instead, you burdened me with your sins,

wearied me with your crimes.

25It is I, I, who wipe out,

for my own sake, your offenses;

your sins I remember no more.

26Would you have me remember, have us come to trial?

Speak up, prove your innocence!

27Your first father^* sinned;

your spokesmen rebelled against me

28Till I repudiated the holy princes,

put Jacob under the ban,

exposed Israel to scorn.

12And what I do I will continue to do, in order to end this pretext of those who seek a pretext for being regarded as we are in the mission of which they boast. 13^* For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who masquerade as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. 15So it is not strange that his ministers also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.